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Hull 
Cuchulain 


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JUVENILE  :AL  COlJ- 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00032147711 


This  BOOK 

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CENTS  a  day  thereafter.   It  was  taken  out  on 

the  day  indicated  below: 

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Lib.  lOM-Fe  *38 

~*a        ■          K| 

JAN 

CUCHULAIN 

THE  HOUND  OF  ULSTER 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/cuchulainhoundoOhull 


CUCHULAIN 

THE  HOUND  OF  ULSTER 


ELEANOR  HULL 

AUTHOR   OF 

'THE     CUCHULLIN     SAGA     IN     IRISH     LITERATURE* 

'PAGAN    IRELAND ';    "  EARLY   CHRISTIAN    IRELAND' 

ETC. 


WITH   EIGHT    ILLUSTRATIONS   BY 

STEPHEN  REID 


"  Bee  a  brig  liomsa  sin,"  ar  Cuchulaind,  ''gea 
go  rabar  acht  aonla  no  aonoidchi  ar  bith  acht  gc 
mairit  m'airdsgeula  dom  6s." 

Stou>e  MS.,  C.  6,  3. 

R.  Irish  Academy. 

"Though  the  span  of  my  life  were  but  for  a 
day,"  Cuchulain  said,  "little  should  1  reck  of 
that,  if  but  my  noble  deeds  might  be  remembered 
among  men." 


NEW  YORK 

THOMAS  Y.  CROWELL  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Printed  in  Great  Britain 
by  Turnbull  &"  Spears,  Edinburgh 


3^8.2  ' 


Contents 


Introduction  . 

CHAP. 

„       I.  How  Conor  became  King  of  Ulster 

II.  Queen  Meave  and  the  Woman-Seer 

III.  The  Boy-Corps  of  King  Conor  . 

IV.  How  Cuchulain  got  his  Name    . 
V.  How  Cuchulain  took  Arms 

VI.  Of  Cuchulain's  First  Feats  of  Championship 

VII.   Cuchulain's  Adventures  in  Shadow-land 

VIII.  How  Cuchulain  wooed  his  Wife 

IX.  Meave  demands   the   Brown   Bull  of  Cooley 
refused  ..... 

X.  The  Plucking  out  of  the  Four-pronged  Pole 

XI.  The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck     .  .  . 

XII.   Etarcomal's  well-deserved  Fate  . 

XIII.  The  P'ight  with  Spits  of  Holly- Wood 

XIV.  The  Combat  with  Ferdia 


PAGE 

9 


15 
18 

25 
33 
40 
47 
57 
68 

78 

88 

94 

104 

113 

118 


ad 


J? 


6 


Cuchulain 


CHAP. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 

XVIII. 

XIX. 

^xx. 

XXI. 

XXII. 

XXIII. 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI. 

XXVII. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX 

XXX. 


The  Fall  of  Febiha  .  •  •  « 

UlsteBj  Awake  !  .  .  •  . 

The  End  of  the  Boy-Corps\  ,  . 

The  ' '  Rising  Out  "  of  Ulster  .  . 

The  humbling  of  Queen  Meave       .  . 

The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens      .  .  . 

How  Cuchulain  went  to  Fairy-Land  . 

Deirdbe  of  Contentions       .  ,  . 

The  Up-bringing  of  Deirdrk  .  . 

The  Sleep- Wanderer  .  ,  . 

The  Wiles  of  King  Conor  .  .  , 

The  Sorrowful  Death  of  Usna's  Sons  , 
The  Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  his  Son  Conla 
The  Hound  at  Bay                . 

Fame  outlives  Life  ,  ,  , 

The  Red  Rout  .  <  .  • 

Notes  on  the  Sources  ,  ,  . 


Illustrations 


The  Raven  op  Ill-omen  . 
Queen  Mbave  and  the  Druid   . 

CUCHULAIN  SETS  OUT  FOB  EMAIN  MaCHA 
CUCHULAIN  DESIRES  ARMS  OP  THE  KlNG . 
MACHA    CURSES   THE    Men    OP    ULSTER 

ferdia  falls  by  the  hand  of  cuchulain 
"The  moment  of  good-luck  is  come"   . 
cuchulain  comes  at  last  to  his  death 


PAGE 

Frontispiece 

18 

28 

42 

80 

140 

160 

268 


Introduction 

THE  events  that  circle  round  King  Conor  mac 
Nessa  and  Cuchulain  as  their  principal  figures  are 
supposed  to  have  occurred,  as  we  gather  from 
the  legends  themselves,  about  the  first  century  of  our 
era.  According  to  one  of  the  stories,  King  Conor  is  said 
to  have  died  in  a  paroxysm  of  wrath  and  horror,  brought 
on  by  hearing  the  news  of  the  crucifixion  of  our  Lord  by 
the  Jews.  Though  this  story  is  evidently  one  of  the  few 
interpolations  having  their  origin  in  Christian  times  (the 
main  body  of  the  legends  being  purely  pagan),  the  pro- 
bability that  they  took  shape  about  this  period  is  in- 
creased almost  to  certainty  by  the  remarkable  agreement 
we  find  in  them  with  the  accounts  derived  from  classical 
writers  who  lived  and  wrote  about  this  same  period, 
and  who  comment  on  the  habits  of  the  Gauls  of  France, 
the  Danube  valley  and  Asia  Minor,  and  the  Belgic  tribes 
who  inhabited  South-eastern  Britain,  with  whom  the 
Roman  armies  came  into  contact  in  the  course  of  their 
wars  of  aggression  and  expansion.  The  descriptions 
given  by  Poseidonius,  a  century  before  Christ,  or  Dio- 
dorus,  Caesar  and  Livy  half  a  century  later,  agree  remark- 
ably with  the  notices  found  in  these  Irish  stories  of  social 
conditions,  weapons,  dress,  and  appearance.  The  large 
wicker  shields,  the  huge  double-bladed  swords  lifted 
above  the  head  to  strike,  the  courage  amounting  to  rash- 
ness of  the  Celt  in  attack,  the  furious  onset  of  the  scythed 


i  o  Cuchulain 

war-chariots,  the  disregard  of  death,  the  habit  of  rushing 
into  battle  without  waiting  to  don  their  clothes,  the 
single  combats,  the  great  feasts,  the  "  Champion's  Bit  " 
reserved  as  a  mark  of  distinction  for  the  bravest  warrior  ; 
these,  and  many  other  characteristics  found  in  our  tales, 
are  commented  upon  in  the  pages  of  the  Roman  his- 
torians. The  culture  represented  in  them  is  that  known 
to  archaeologists  as  "  late  Celtic,"  called  on  the  Con- 
tinent the  La  Tene  period,  i.e.  the  period  extending  from 
about  400  B.C.  to  the  first  century  of  the  Christian  era ; 
and  the  actual  remains  of  weapons,  ornaments,  and  dress 
found  in  Ireland  confirm  the  supposition  that  we  are 
dealing  with  this  stage  of  culture. 

We  may,  then,  take  it  that  these  tales  were  formed 
about  the  beginning  of  our  era,  although  the  earliest 
written  documents  that  we  have  of  them  are  not  earlier 
than  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  century.  Between  the 
time  of  their  invention  for  the  entertainment  of  the  chiefs 
and  kings  of  Ireland  to  the  time  of  their  incorporation  in 
the  great  books  which  contain  the  bulk  of  the  tales,  they 
were  handed  down  by  word  of  mouth,  every  bard  and  pro- 
fessional story-teller  (of  whom  there  was  at  least  one  in 
every  great  man's  house)  being  obliged  to  know  by  heart 
a  great  number  of  these  romances,  and  prepared  at  any 
moment  to  recite  those  which  he  might  be  called  upon  to 
give.  In  the  course  of  centuries  of  recitation  certain 
changes  crept  in,  but  in  the  main  they  come  to  us  much 
as  they  were  orginally  recited.  In  some  tales,  of  which 
we  have  a  number  of  copies  of  different  ages,  we  can 
trace  these  changes  and  notice  the  additions  and  modi- 
fications that  have  been  made. 

Over  a  hundred  distinct  tales  belonging  to  this  one 
cycle  alone  are  known  to  have  existed,  and  of  a  great 


Introduction  1 1 

number  of  them  one  or  more  copies  have  come  down  to 
us,  differing  more  or  less  from  each  other. 

The  old  story-tellers  who  handed  down  the  romantic 
tales  of  Ireland  handled  their  material  in  a  very  free 
manner,  expanding  and  altering  as  suited  their  own  poetic 
feeling  and  the  audience  they  addressed.  A  reciter  of 
poetic  powerfearlessly re-arranged,  enlarged  or  condensed. 
As  a  general  rule,  the  older  the  form  of  a  story  the 
shorter,  terser,  and  more  barbaric  is  its  character.  In 
the  long  tale  of  the  Tain  bo  Cuailgne,  which  forms  the 
central  subject  of  the  whole  cycle,  the  arrangement  of  the 
episodes  and  the  number  of  incidents  introduced  is  quite 
different  in  the  oldest  copy  we  have  of  it,  that  found  in 
the  compilation  called  (from  the  particular  piece  of  parch- 
ment on  which  it  was  written)  the  "  Book  of  the  Dun  (or 
Brown)  Cow,"  compiled  in  1100  in  the  monastery  of  Clon- 
macnois  on  the  Shannon,  from  the  version  in  the  Book 
of  Leinster,  a  great  vellum  book  drawn  up  and  written 
for  Dermot  mac  Morrough,  the  King  of  Leinster 
who  invited  Strongbow  and  the  Normans  to  come  over 
from  Wales  half  a  century  later.  The  oldest  form  of  the 
story  is  often  the  more  manly  and  self -restrained  ;  there 
is  a  tendency,  as  time  goes  on,  not  only  to  soften  down  the 
more  barbarous  and  rougher  portions,  but  to  emphasise 
the  pathetic  and  moving  scenes,  and  to  add  touches  of 
symbolism  and  imagination.  Though  they  lack  the 
brief  dignity  of  the  older  versions,  the  more  recent  copies 
are  often  more  attractive  and  full  of  poetry.  For 
instance,  we  have  in  this  book  drawn  largely  on  some 
comparatively  recent  (seventeenth-eighteenth  century) 
MSS.  in  the  British  Museum,  not  hitherto  translated,  for 
the  details  (many  of  them  full  of  poetic  imagination) 
of  the  history  of  Cuchulain's  journey  into  Shadowland  to 


1 2  Cuchulain 

learn  feats  of  bravery,1  and  in  the  account  of  his  death  and 
the  incidents  that  immediately  follow  it.  In  the  different 
versions  of  the  former  story,  the  name  of  the  country  to 
which  Cuchulain  went  is  variously  given  as  Alba  or 
Scotland,  Scythia,  and  the  "  Land  of  Scathach,"  i.e. 
the  home  of  the  woman- warrior  from  whom  he  learned. 
It  is  evident  that  Scythia  is  only  a  mistake  for  Scathach, 
made  by  some  scribe  and  copied  by  others.  Scath 
means  a  "  Shadow,"  and  probably  the  original  idea  was 
purely  symbolic,  meaning  that  the  hero  had  passed 
beyond  the  bounds  of  human  knowledge  into  an  in- 
visible world  of  mystery  called  Shadowland.  The 
writer  of  the  copy  that  I  have  used  returns  to  this 
original  idea,  and  the  whole  story,  in  his  hands,  becomes 
symbolic  and  imaginative.  So  also,  in  the  account  of 
Cuchulain's  death,  the  modern  scribe  introduces  new 
details  which  add  to  the  beauty  and  striking  effect  of 
this  most  touching  episode.  To  my  mind  the  scribes, 
in  making  these  additions,  acted  in  a  perfectly  legitimate 
manner,  and  I  have  not  hesitated  in  this  book,  which 
does  not  aim  at  being  a  text-book,  but  a  book  written  for 
the  pleasure  of  the  young,  to  follow  their  example.  I 
have  freely,  in  minor  points,  re-arranged  or  pruned  the 
tales,  adding  details  from  different  sources  as  suited 
my  purpose,  and  occasionally  expanding  an  imaginative 
suggestion  indicated,  but  not  worked  out,  by  the  scribe. 
But  I  have  seldom  allowed  myself  deliberately  to  alter 
a  story,  or  to  introduce  anything  not  found  somewhere 
in  the  tales  as  they  have  come  down  to  us.  An  excep- 
tion is  the  story  of  Cuchulain's  visit  to  fairy-land,  com- 
monly known  as  the  "  Sickbed  of  Cuchulain,"  which 

1  This  story  has  been  published  by  Dr  Wh.  Stokes  in  Rev.  Celt.  xxix. 
(1908),  since  the  above  was  written. 


Introduction  1 3 

required  a  slight  modification  of  the  central  situation  in 
order  to  make  it  suitable  reading  for  any  children  into 
whose  hands  the  book  might  chance  to  fall ;  it  was  too 
poetic  and  touching  an  episode  to  be  altogether  omitted 
without  loss  to  the  conception  of  the  cycle  as  a  whole. 

It  is,  after  all,  the  human  interest  of  these  old  stories, 
and  not  primarily  their  importance  as  folklore  and  the 
history  of  manners,  that  appeals  to  most  of  us  to-day. 
As  the  Arthurian  legend  all  through  the  Middle  Ages  set 
before  men's  minds  an  ideal  of  high  purpose,  purity  of 
life,  and  chivalrous  behaviour  in  an  age  that  was  not 
over-inclined  to  practise  these  virtues,  so  these  old 
Irish  romances,  so  late  rescued  from  oblivion,  come  to 
recall  the  minds  of  men  in  our  own  day  to  some  noble 
ideals. 

For,  rude  as  are  the  social  conditions  depicted  in  these 
tales,  and  exaggerated  and  barbaric  as  is  the  flavour 
of  some  of  them,  they  nevertheless  present  to  us  a  high 
and  often  romantic  code  of  natural  chivalry.  There 
is  no  more  pathetic  story  in  literature  than  that  of  the 
fight  between  the  two  old  and  loving  friends,  Cuchulain 
and  Ferdia ;  there  is  no  more  touching  act  of  chivalry 
to  a  woman  than  Cuchulain's  offer  of  aid  to  his  enemy 
Queen  Meave,  in  the  moment  of  her  exhaustion ;  there 
is  no  more  delightful  passage  of  playful  affection  than 
that  between  the  hero  and  his  lady  in  the  wooing  of  Emer. 
These  tales  have  a  sprightliness  and  buoyancy  not  pos- 
sessed by  the  Arthurian  tales,  they  are  fresher,  more 
humorous,  more  diversified  ;  and  the  characters,  more 
especially  those  of  the  women,  are  more  firmly  and 
variously  drawn.  For  Wales  and  for  England  Arthur 
has  been  for  centuries  the  representative  "  very  gentle 
perfect  knight ";  for  Ireland  Cuchulain  represented  the 


14  Cuchulain 

highest  ideal  of  which  the  Irish  Gael  was  capable.  In 
these  stories,  as  in  Malory's  "  Morte  D' Arthur,"  we  find 
"  many  joyous  and  pleasant  histories,  and  noble  and 
renowned  acts  of  humanity,  gentleness  and  chivalry  "  ; 
and  we  may  add,  with  Malory,  "  Do  after  the  good  and 
leave  the  evil,  and  it  shall  bring  you  to  good  fame  and 
renommde." 

ELEANOR  HULL 


Ft. 


The  Raven  of  Ill-omen 


Cuchulain 

CHAPTER  I 

How  Conor  became  King  of  Ulster 

THERE  was  a  great  war  between  Connaught  and 
Ulster,  that  is,  between  Conor,  King  of  Ulster, 
and  Meave,  the  proud  and  mighty  Queen  of 
Connaught.  This  was  the  cause  of  the  war  between  them. 
When  Conor  was  but  a  lad,  his  mother  was  a  widow,  and 
there  was  no  thought  that  Conor  would  be  king.  For 
the  King  of  Ulster  at  that  time  was  Fergus  mac  Roy, 
a  powerful  and  noble  king,  whom  his  people  loved  ;  and 
though  Conor  was  of  high  rank  and  dignity,  he  stood  not 
near  the  throne.  But  his  mother,  Ness,  was  ambitious  for 
him,  and  she  used  all  her  arts  to  bring  it  about  that  he 
should  be  called  to  the  throne  of  Ulster.  Ness  was  a 
handsome  woman,  and  a  woman  of  spirit,  and  in  her 
youth  she  had  been  a  warrior  ;  and  Fergus  admired  her, 
and  she  wrought  upon  him  so  that  in  the  end  he  asked 
her  to  be  his  wife.  She  made  it  a  condition  that  for  one 
year  Fergus  would  leave  the  sovereignty,  and  that  Conor 
should  take  his  place  ;  "  for,"  said  she,  "  I  should  like 
to  have  it  said  that  my  son  had  been  a  king,  and  that 
his  children  should  be  called  the  descendants  of  a  king." 
Fergus  and  the  people  of  Ulster  liked  not  her  request,  but 
she  was  firm,  and  Fergus  all  the  more  desired  to  marry 
her,  because  he  found  it  not  easy  to  get  her  ;   so,  at  the 

15 


1 6  Cuchulain 

last,  he  gave  way  to  her,  and  he  resigned  the  kingdom 
for  one  year  into  the  hands  of  Conor. 

But,  as  soon  as  Conor  was  king,  Ness  set  about  to  win 
away  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Ulster  from  Fergus, 
and  to  transfer  them  in  their  allegiance  to  Conor.  She 
supplied  her  son  with  wealth,  which  he  distributed 
secretly  among  the  people,  buying  them  over  to  his  side  ; 
and  she  taught  him  how  to  act,  so  that  he  won  over  the 
nobles  and  the  great  men  of  the  province.  And  when, 
the  year  being  out,  Fergus  demanded  back  the  sove- 
reignty, he  found  that  the  league  formed  against  him 
was  so  strong  that  he  could  do  nothing.  The  chiefs 
said  that  they  liked  Conor  well,  and  that  he  was  their 
friend,  and  they  were  not  disposed  to  part  with  him ; 
they  said,  too,  that  Fergus  having  abandoned  the 
kingdom  for  a  year,  only  to  gain  a  wife,  cared  little  for 
it,  and  had,  in  fact,  resigned  it.  And  they  agreed  that 
Fergus  should  keep  his  wife,  if  he  wished,  but  that  the 
kingdom  should  pass  to  Conor.  And  Fergus  was  so 
wrath  at  this,  that  he  forsook  his  wife,  and  went  with  a 
great  host  of  his  own  followers  into  Connaught,  to  take 
refuge  with  Queen  Meave  and  with  Ailill,  her  spouse. 
But  he  swore  to  be  revenged  upon  Conor,  and  he  waited 
only  an  opportunity  to  incite  Meave  to  gather  her  army 
together  that  he  might  try  to  win  back  the  sovereignty, 
or  at  least  to  revenge  the  insult  put  upon  him  by  Conor 
and  by  Ness. 

Now  Fergus  mac  Roy  was  of  great  stature,  a  mighty 
man  and  a  famous  warrior,  and  his  strength  was  that  of 
a  hundred  heroes.  And  all  men  spoke  of  the  sword  of 
Fergus,  which  was  so  great  and  long  that  men  said  that 
it  stretched  like  a  rainbow  or  like  a  weaver's  beam.  And 
at  the  head  of  his  hosts  was  Cormac,  the  Champion  of 


Conor  King  of  Ulster  1 7 

the  White  Cairn  of  Watching,  a  son  of  Conor,  who  liked 
not  the  deed  of  his  father ;  for  he  was  young,  and  he  had 
been  one  of  the  bodyguard  of  Fergus,  and  went  with 
Fergus  into  exile  to  Connaught.  And  that  was  called 
the  Black  Exile  of  Fergus  mac  Roy. 


CHAPTER  II 
Queen  Meave  and  the  Woman-Seer 

CRAFTILY  Fergus  wrought  upon  Queen  Meave  that 
she  should  espouse  his  cause^  and  lead  an  army 
into  Ulster's  coasts,  to  win  the  kingdom  back  for 
him  again.  And  Meave  was  no  way  sorry  to  make  war, 
for  Connaught  and  the  North  at  all  times  were  at  strife, 
and  frays  and  battle-raids  were  common  between  them. 
So  with  light  heart  Queen  Meave  sent  heralds  out  and 
messengers  through  Connaught  to  collect  her  armed 
bands,  bidding  them  meet  her  within  three  months' 
space  before  her  palace-fort  of  Cruachan.  And  in  three 
months  a  goodly  host  was  gathered  there,  and  tents  were 
pitched,  and  for  awhile  they  tarried  round  the  palace- 
courts,  eating  and  drinking,  so  that  with  good  heart  and 
strength  they  might  set  forth  to  march  towards  Ulster's 
borders. 

Now,  in  the  dark  and  dead  of  night  before  the  break 
of  day  when  all  the  host  should  start  their  forward 
march,  Meave  could  not  sleep  ;  and  stealthily  she  rose 
and  bid  them  make  her  chariot  ready,  that  she  might  seek 
a  Druid  whom  she  knew,  and  learn  from  him  the  pro- 
spects of  the  expedition  and  what  should  be  the  fate 
before  her  hosts. 

Far  in  the  depths  of  a  wide-spreading  wood  the  Druid 
dwelt.  An  old  and  reverend  man  was  he,  and  far  and  wide 
men  knew  him  for  a  prophet  and  a  seer.  The  "  Know- 
is 


1V1 


1 


:  ;w 


Qusen  Meave  and  the  Druid 


18 


Meave  and  the  Seer  19 

ledge  that  enlightens  "  he  possessed,  which  opened  to  his 
eyes  the  coming  days  and  all  the  secret  things  the  future 
held.  Gravely  he  came  out  to  meet  the  troubled  Queen, 
and  he  from  her  chariot  handed  her,  as  proudly  she 
drew  up  before  his  door. 

"  We  have  come  to  thee,  O  Druid  and  magician," 
said  the  Queen,  "  to  ask  of  thee  the  fate  and  fortune  of 
this  expedition  against  Ulster  which  we  have  now  in 
hand,  whether  we  shall  return  victorious  or  not." 

"  Wait  but  awhile  in  patience,"  said  the  aged  man, 
"  and  I  will  read  the  future,  if  the  gods  allow." 

For  two  long  hours  Meave  waited  in  the  hut,  while  on 
the  hearth  the  fire  of  peat  burned  low,  and  a  strange 
dimness  spread  about  the  house  as  though  a  mist  had 
risen  between  herself  and  the  magician,  who,  on  his 
palms  performed  his  curious  rites,  and  in  a  slow  and 
solemn  chant  sang  charms  and  incantations  ;  by  strange 
and  magic  arts  known  to  his  craft  seeking  the  "  Know- 
ledge that  enlightens."  And,  at  the  last,  when  all  was 
still,  he  rose  to  his  full  height,  stretched  out  his  arms, 
and  called  upon  the  gods  of  fire,  and  air,  and  wind, 
and  light,  to  open  up  and  lay  before  his  gaze  the 
future  things  that  were  in  store  for  Meave  and  for  her 
hosts. 

Then  he  made  total  darkness  in  his  hut,  and  ate  a 
curious  food,  concocted  by  magicians  ;  and  when  he  had 
eaten,  he  fell  into  a  sleep,  his  servant  watching  over  him, 
his  two  palms  laid  upon  his  cheeks.  Then  in  a  minute, 
or  two  minutes,  he  uttered  sounds,  but  like  one  talking 
in  his  sleep,  and  the  servant  bade  Meave  question  him, 
for  his  sleep  of  inspiration  was  upon  him.  So  Meave 
said  :  "In  mine  host  this  day  are  many  who  do  part 
from  their  own  people  and   their   friends,    from  their 


20  Cuchulain 

country  and  their  lands,  from  father  and  from  mother. 
Now,  if  these  all  return  not  safe  and  sound,  upon  me  will 
be  the  anger  of  their  friends,  and  me  they  will  upbraid. 
Tell  me,  then,  will  these  return  alive  ?  " 

And  the  magician  said  :  "  These  might  return  ;  but 
yet  I  see  a  little  boy  who  stands  upon  the  way  to  hinder 
them.  Fair  he  is  and  young  and  but  a  boy  ;  and  yet  on 
every  path  I  see  him,  holding  back  thy  hosts,  slaughter- 
ing and  pursuing,  as  though  the  strength  of  the  gods 
were  in  his  arms.  On  every  path  they  fall,  in  every 
battlefield  the  ground  is  strewn  with  dead,  and  in  the 
homes  of  Connaught  men  and  women  weep  the  sons  and 
husbands  who  return  no  more.  Who  this  youth  may  be 
I  know  not,  but  I  see  that  he  will  bring  trouble  on  thy 
hosts." 

Then  Meave  trembled  at  the  saying  of  the  Druid  ;  but 
she  asked  again,  "  Among  all  those  who  will  remain 
behind  and  those  who  go,  there  is  none  dearer  to 
us  than  we  are  to  ourselves ;  inquire  therefore  of 
thy  gods  if  we  ourselves  shall  come  alive  out  of  this 
hosting  ?  " 

The  wizard  answered  :  "  Whoever  comes  or  comes  not, 
thou  thyself  shalt  come." 

Then  Meave  mounted  her  chariot  again,  and  turned 
her  horses'  heads  towards  Cruachan.  But  heaviness  was 
at  her  heart,  and  deep  dejection  lay  upon  her  mind,  and 
moodily  she  thought  of  what  the  Druid  prophesied  to 
her. 

They  had  not  driven  far  when  suddenly  the  horses 
swerved  aside  and  reared  and  snorted  with  affright. 
Meave  started  up,  and  shaking  off  her  reverie,  in  the  dim 
twilight  of  the  breaking  dawn,  close  up  beside  her 
chariot-shaft,  she  saw  a  woman  stand.     Red  as  a  fox- 


Meave  and  the  Seer  2  1 

glove  were  her  cheeks  and  blue  as  the  spring  hyacinth 
beneath  the  forest  trees  her  sparkling  eyes.  Like  pearls 
her  teeth  shone  white  between  her  lips,  and  all  her  skin 
was  fair  as  the  white  foam  that  dances  on  the  wave. 
Around  her  fell,  in  waving  folds  of  green,  a  cloak  such  as 
the  fairy  women  wear,  which  hides  them  from  the  eyes 
of  mortal  men. 

But  while  she  looked  in  wonder  on  the  maid,  astonished 
at  her  lovely  face  and  mien,  Meave  saw  her  garment 
change  to  dusky  red.  And  in  the  dimness,  she  per- 
ceived the  maiden  held  a  sword,  point  upward,  in  her 
hand,  a  massive  sword,  such  as  a  mighty  man-of-war 
might  wield.  And  from  the  point  blood  dripped,  and 
one  by  one  the  drops  fell  on  the  Queen,  till  all  her  cloak, 
and  garments,  and  the  chariot-floor  ran  red  with  streams 
of  blood. 

And  terror  came  on  Meave,  and  all  in  vain  she  sought 
to  force  her  horses  forward,  but  still  they  reared  and 
curvetted,  but  would  not  advance.  "  Girl,"  cried  the 
Queen  at  last,  "what  doest  thou  here,  and  who  and  what 
art  thou  ?  " 

"  I  am  a  woman  of  the  fairy  race,"  the  maid  replied  ; 
"  I  come  to-night  to  tell  thee  of  thy  fortunes,  and  the 
chance  that  shall  befall  thee  and  thy  hosts  upon  this  raid 
that  thou  dost  make  on  Ulster." 

"  What  is  thy  name,  and  wherefore  thus,  without  my 
will,  hast  thou  presumed  to  come  and  speak  with  me?" 
replied  the  angry  Queen. 

"  Great  cause  have  I  to  come  ;  for  from  the  fairy- 
rath  of  thine  own  people,  near  to  Cruachan,  am  I  here  ; 
and  Feidelm  the  prophetess  my  name." 

"  Well,  then,  O  prophetess  Feidelm,"  said  Queen 
Meave,    "  how    seest    thou   our    host  ? "  but    yet    she 


2  2  Cuchulain 

trembled  as  she  spoke.  And  Feidelm  said,  "  I  see  thy 
hosts  all  red,  I  see  them  all  becrimsoned." 

"  Thou  seest  ill,  O  prophetess,"  said  Meave  ;  "  for 
in  the  courts  of  Emain  now  the  King  lies  sick  and  ill ; 
my  messengers  have  been  to  him,  and  nought  there  is 
that  we  need  fear  from  Ulster.  Therefore,  0  Feidelm, 
woman-prophet  Feidelm,  tell  us  now  but  the  truth  ;  how 
seest  thou  our  hosts  ?  " 

"  I  see  them  all  dyed  red,  I  see  them  all  becrimsoned," 
said  the  girl  again. 

"  It  cannot  be,"  said  Meave.  "  For  many  months  my 
spies  have  been  in  Ulster,  and  this  well  I  know  ;  that  in 
Ulster  they  dream  not  of  the  coming  of  a  host.  Now 
tell  us  this  time  true,  O  Feidelm,  O  woman-prophet 
Feidelm,  how  seest  thou  our  host  ?  " 

But  again  the  maiden  answered  as  before  :  "I  see 
all  red  on  them,  I  see  them  all  becrimsoned." 

Then  Meave  grew  angry,  and  fury  came  upon  her,  and 
she  called  on  her  charioteer  to  slay  the  fairy  maid.  But 
the  man  was  afraid  to  touch  her,  so  strange  and  formid- 
able did  she  stand  there,  holding  the  dripping  sword 
upright. 

Then  once  again  Meave  answered  her :  "  Girl,  I 
care  not  for  thy  threats,  for  well  I  know,  that  when  the 
men  of  Ulster  come  together,  frays  and  quarrels  will 
arise  among  themselves,  either  as  regards  the  troop  which 
shall  precede  the  host,  or  that  one  which  shall  follow  ; 
or  about  precedence  among  the  leaders,  or  about  forays 
for  cattle  and  for  food.  Therefore,  I  conclude  that  they 
will  fall  upon  each  other,  and  that  it  will  be  but  a  little 
matter  for  me  to  disperse  them,  and  return  again  with 
spoils  to  Cruachan." 

Then  the  maiden's  face  grew  grave,  and  she  spoke  as 


Meave  and  the  Seer  23 

though  she  saw  a  vision,  and  Meave  trembled  as  she 
listened  to  her  words.  "  I  see  thy  host,"  she  said, 
"  crimson  and  red,  fall  back  before  the  men  of  Ulster, 
Yet  the  host  of  Ulster  seems  not  a  mighty  host,  but  faint 
and  weak  through  sickness,  and  the  King  of  Ulster  lies 
on  his  bed.  Through  all  my  dreams  there  comes  a  lad, 
not  old  in  years,  but  great  in  weapon-feats.  Young 
though  he  is,  the  marks  of  many  wounds  are  on  his  skin, 
and  round  his  head  there  shines  the  '  hero's  light.' 
A  face  he  has  the  noblest  and  the  best,  and  in  his  eyes 
sparkle  the  champion's  gleams  ;  a  stripling,  fair  and 
modest  in  his  home,  but  in  the  battle  fierce  and  tough 
and  strong,  as  though  he  wore  a  mighty  dragon's  form. 
In  either  of  his  hands  four  darts  he  holds,  and  with  a 
skill  before  unknown,  he  plies  them  on  your  host.  A 
formidable  sword  hangs  by  his  side,  and  close  beside  him 
stands  his  charioteer,  holding  his  pointed  spear.  A 
madness  seems  to  seize  him  in  the  fight ;  by  him  your 
hosts  are  all  hewn  down,  and  on  the  battle-field  the  slain, 
foot  laid  to  foot  and  hand  to  hand,  do  thickly  lie.  Be- 
fore the  hosts  of  Ulster  all  unmoved  he  stands  as  if  to 
guard  them  from  the  fight ;  all  on  himself  the  burden  of 
the  uneven  contest  falls.  Strong  heroes  cannot  stand 
before  his  blows,  and  in  the  homes  of  Connaught  women 
weep  the  slain  who  come  not  back.  This  is  the  vision  that 
I  see,  and  this  the  prophecy  of  Feidelm,  Cruachan's 
woman-seer." 

Then  all  her  pride  and  courage  fled  from  Meave,  and 
fearfully  she  asked  the  woman-seer,  "  What  is  the  name 
by  which  this  youth  is  known  ?  " 

And  Feidelm  said  :  "To  all  the  world  the  youth's 
name  will  be  known,  Cuchulain  son  of  Sualtach,  of  the 
Feats  ;  but  in  the  North,  because  he  guards  their  homes 


24  Cuchulain 

as  a  good  watch-dog  guards  the  scattered  flocks  upon  the 
mountain-side,  men  call  him  lovingly,  '  The  Hound  of 
Ulster.'  " 

Then   to   her   fairy-dwelling   Feidelm  returned,    and 
Meave  went  to  her  tent  again. 


CHAPTER  III 
The  Boy-Corps  of  King  Conor 

NOW  all  that  she  had  heard  that  night  so  troubled 
Meave  that  she  thought  not  well  to  proceed 
upon  her  hosting  at  that  time.  She  lay  upon 
her  bed  and  pondered  long  upon  the  fairy  woman's 
words,  and  more  and  more  she  wondered  who  this  youth 
might  be,  the  lad  of  mighty  feats  whom  all  men  called 
"  The  Hound  of  Ulster."  When  daylight  came,  she 
sent  a  message  to  the  captains  of  her  host,  commanding 
them  to  tarry  yet  a  day,  till  she  should  learn  further 
about  the  youth  who  stood  upon  her  path  and  seemed 
a  threatening  terror  to  her  hosts.  Then  like  a  king  and 
queen  they  robed  themselves  and  sat  within  their  tents, 
Ailill  and  she,  and  sent  a  herald  forth  commanding 
Fergus  and  the  chief  of  Ulster's  exiles  to  appear  before 
them,  to  tell  them  of  Cuchulain. 

When  they  were  gathered,  Fergus,  Cormac  son  of 
Conor  and  the  rest,  Ailill  addressed  them.  "  We  hear 
strange  tales  of  one  of  Ulster's  chiefs,  a  youthful  hero 
whom  men  call  the  "  Hound."  From  you,  O  chiefs  of 
Ulster,  we  would  learn  all  you  can  tell  about  this  famous 
lad.  What  age  hath  he  ?  and  wherefore  hath  he  gained 
this  name  ?  and  have  his  deeds  become  known  to  you  ?  " 
"  His  deeds  are  known  to  us,  indeed,"  Fergus  re- 
plied, "  For  all  the  land  of  Ulster  rings  with  this  young 
hero's  renown." 


26  Cuchulain 

"  Shall  we  find  him  hard  to  deal  with  ?  "  then  said 
Meave.  ' '  Last  night  I  met  a  fairy-maid,  who  told  me  to 
beware,  for  among  the  warriors  of  the  North,  this  lad 
would  trouble  us  the  most." 

"  He  will  trouble  you  the  most,  indeed,"  said  Cormac 
and  Fergus  with  one  voice.  "  You  will  not  find  a  warrior 
in  your  path  that  is  so  hard  to  deal  with,  not  a  hero  that 
is  fiercer,  nor  a  raven  more  greedy  of  prey,  nor  a  lion  that 
is  more  dangerous  than  he.  You  will  not  find  another 
man  to  equal  him,  whether  of  his  age  or  of  a  greater 
age,  so  strong  and  terrible  and  brave  is  he,  nor  is  his 
match  in  Erin  either  for  his  beauty  or  his  prowess  or  in 
all  deeds  and  feats  of  skill." 

"  I  care  not  for  all  this,"  said  haughty  Meave  ;  "  not 
these  the  things  I  fear  ;  for,  after  all,  whatever  you  may 
say,  Cuchulain,  like  another,  is  but  one ;  he  can  be 
wounded  like  a  common  man,  he  will  die  like  any  other, 
he  can  be  captured  like  any  warrior.  Besides,  his  age 
is  but  that  of  a  grown-up  girl ;  his  deeds  of  manhood 
come  not  yet." 

"  Not  so  indeed,"  said  Fergus  and  they  all.  "  It  would 
be  strange  if  he  to-day  were  not  the  equal  of  any  grown-up 
man  or  many  men  ;  for  even  when  he  was  in  his  fifth 
year,  he  surpassed  all  the  chieftain's  sons  of  Emain  Macha 
at  their  play  ;  when  he  was  but  seven  he  took  arms,  and 
slew  his  man  ;  when  he  was  a  stripling  he  went  to  perfect 
himself  in  feats  of  championship  with  Scath,  the  woman- 
warrior  of  Alba  ;  and  now  to-day  when  he  is  nearly 
seventeen  years  old,  his  strength  must  be  equal  to  the 
strength  of  many  men." 

"  Tell  us,"  said  Meave,  "  who  is  this  warrior-lad  ;  tell 
us  also  of  his  boyish  feats  and  how  the  name  of  '  Ulster's 
Hound  '  came  to  be  his," 


The  Boy-Corps  of  Conor  27 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  Fergus  ;  "  for  Cuchulain  is  my 
own  foster-son  and  Conor's ;  though  they  say,  and  I 
myself  believe  it,  that  he  is  of  the  offspring  of  the  gods, 
and  that  Lugh  of  the  Long  Arms,  God  of  Light,  is 
guardian  to  the  boy.  But  Sualtach  is  his  father,  a 
warrior  of  Ulster,  and  the  child  was  reared  by  the  sea- 
side northward  on  Murthemne's  plain,  which  is  his  own 
possession.  At  my  knees  he  was  brought  up,  and 
Amergin  the  poet  was  his  tutor  ;  the  sister  of  King  Conor 
nourished  him  with  Conall  the  Victorious  in  her  home. 
For  at  his  birth  Morann  the  judge  prophesied  of  his 
future  renoun.  '  His  praise,'  he  said,  '  will  be  in  all 
men's  mouths,  his  deeds  will  be  recounted  by  kings  and 
great  men,  warriors  and  charioteers,  poets  and  sages. 
All  men  will  love  him ;  he  will  give  combat  for  Ulster 
against  her  enemies  ;  he  will  decide  your  quarrels  ;  he 
will  avenge  your  wrongs.  Welcome  the  little  stranger 
who  is  here.'  " 

And  Meave  and  Ailill  said,  "  That  is  a  brave  account 
to  give  of  a  young  child  ;  no  wonder  is  it  that  Ulster 
prides  herself  in  him ;  but  tell  us  now,  Fergus,  for 
eager  are  we  all  to  hear,  the  feats  of  Cuchulain  as  a  little 
boy." 

"  I  will  tell  you  that,"  said  Fergus.  "  When  he  was 
yet  a  tiny  boy,  not  much  past  four  years  old,  some  one 
in  passing  by  Murthemne  told  him  a  long  tale  of  the 
boy-corps  of  King  Conor  in  Emain  Macha  ;  that  the 
King  had  established  it  for  all  the  sons  of  nobles  and  of 
chiefs,  to  train  them  up  in  strength  and  bravery.  He 
told  him  that  the  King  had  set  apart  a  playing-ground  for 
the  boys,  close  to  his  own  fort,  and  there  every  day 
they  practised  games  of  skill,  and  feats  of  arms,  and 
wrestled  and  threw  each  other.     He  told  him,  too,  that 


28  Cuchulain 

the  King  took  so  much  interest  in  the  boy-corps,  that 
scarce  a  day  passed  by  that  he  did  not  spend  some  time  in 
watching  the  pastimes  of  the  lads,  for  he  looked  to  them 
to  be  his  future  men-of-war  and  leaders  of  his  hosts. 
He  told  the  little  boy  that  when  they  had  proved  them- 
selves fit  by  skill  and  aptness  for  a  higher  grade,  the 
King  bestowed  on  them  a  set  of  war-gear  suited  to  their 
age,  small  spears  and  javelins,  a  slender  sword,  and  all 
equipment  like  a  champion.  Now  when  the  boy  heard 
this,  a  great  longing  arose  within  his  little  mind  to  see 
the  boy-corps  and  join  in  their  sports  and  practising  for 
war.  '  I  would  wrestle,  too,'  he  said,  '  and  I  am  sure 
that  I  could  throw  my  fellow.'  But  I  and  his  guar- 
dians," said  Fergus,  "  objected  that  he  was  yet  too 
young,  and  that  when  he  was  ten  years  old  it  would  be 
soon  enough  to  test  his  strength  against  the  older 
boys.  For  to  send  a  boy  of  four  years  old  or  five  to  take 
his  part  among  lads  of  ten  or  twelve  we  thought  not 
well,  for  we  feared  that  harm  would  come  to  him, 
knowing  that  he  must  ever,  since  his  babyhood,  be  in  the 
midst  of  all  that  was  going  on.  Therefore,  we  said, 
'  Wait,  my  child,  until  some  grown  warrior  can  go  with 
thee,  to  protect  thee  from  the  rough  practice  of  the  elder 
boys  and  bid  them  have  a  care  for  thee,  or  else  till  Conor 
the  King,  thy  fosterer,  himself  calls  thee  hither  under  his 
proper  charge.'  But  the  lad  said  to  his  mother,  that  it 
was  too  long  to  wait,  and  that  even  on  this  instant  he 
would  set  off  ;  '  And  all  you  have  to  do,  mother,  is  to  set 
me  on  my  way,  for  I  know  not  which  way  Emain  lies.' 
'  A  long  and  weary  way  for  a  young  boy  it  is  to  Emain/ 
said  his  mother,  '  for  the  range  of  the  Slieve  Fuad 
Mountains  must  be  crossed.'  '  Point  me  but  out  the 
general   direction,'    he   replied.      '  Over   there,    to    the 


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Cuchulain  sets  out  for  Emain  Macha 


28 


The  Boy-Corps  of  Conor         29 

north-west,  lies  the  palace  of  the  king.'  '  Let  me  but 
get  my  things,  and  I  am  off,'  he  said. 

"  These  were  the  things  that  the  child  took  in  his 
hand.  His  hurley  of  brass  and  his  ball  of  silver  in 
one  hand,  his  throwing  javelin  and  his  toy  spear  in  the 
other.  Away  he  went  then,  and  as  he  went,  this  would 
he  do  to  make  the  way  seem  short.  He  would  place  his 
ball  on  the  ground  and  strike  it  with  his  hurley,  driving 
it  before  him  ever  so  far ;  then  he  flung  the  hurley  after 
it,  driving  that  as  far  again ;  then,  always  running  on,  he 
threw  his  javelin,  and  last  of  all  his  spear.  Then  he  would 
make  a  playful  rush  after  them,  pick  up  the  hurley,  ball, 
and  javelin  as  he  ran,  while,  before  ever  the  spear's  tip 
touched  the  earth,  he  had  caught  it  by  the  other  end. 
Thus  on  he  ran,  scarce  feeling  tired,  so  engrossed  was  he 
in  the  game. 

"  At  last  Cuchulain  reached  Emain,  and  sought  out  the 
palace  of  the  King  and  the  playing-field  where  the  boys 
were  practising,  three  times  fifty  in  number,  under  the 
charge  of  Follaman,  one  of  Conor's  younger  sons  ;  the 
King  himself  being  present,  watching  the  game. 

"  The  youths  had  been  practising  martial  exercises,  but 
when  Cuchulain  came  up  they  were  hurling  on  the  green. 
Without  waiting  for  anyone,  the  little  fellow  dived  in 
amongst  them  and  took  a  hand  in  the  game.  He  got 
the  ball  between  his  legs  and  held  it  there  ;  not  suffering 
it  to  travel  higher  up  than  his  knees  or  lower  than  his 
ankle-joints,  so  making  it  impossible  for  any  of  them  to 
get  a  stroke  at  it,  or  in  any  way  to  touch  it.  In  this 
way  he  got  it  gradually  nearer  and  nearer  the  end  of  the 
field ;  then  with  one  effort  he  lifted  it  up  and  sent  it  home 
over  the  goal.  In  utter  amazement  the  whole  corps 
looked  on.    But  Follaman  their  captain  cried — '  Good 


30  Cuchulain 

now,  boys,  all  together  meet  this  youngster  who  has  come 
in  we  know  not  whence,  and  kill  him  on  the  spot  as  he 
deserves.  The  boy  insults  us  that  he  comes  amongst  us 
without  placing  himself  under  the  protection  of  some 
chief's  son  in  order  that  his  life  should  be  preserved  ; 
for  it  is  not  allowed  to  the  son  of  any  private  person  or 
common  warrior  to  intrude  upon  your  game,  without 
first  having  asked  permission  and  taken  a  pledge  of 
the  chiefs'  sons  that  his  life  shall  be  respected ;  we 
admit  not  common  men  to  the  boy-corps  save  under 
the  protection  of  some  youth  of  higher  rank.'  For 
they  did  not  know  Cuchulain,  neither  did  he  know 
the  rules  of  the  boy-corps.  '  Have  at  him,  all  of  you,' 
cried  Follaman,  '  and  give  him  what  he  deserves ;  no 
doubt  he  is  the  son  of  some  private  man,  who  has  no 
right  to  intrude  into  your  play  without  safe  conduct. 
Defend  your  honour  and  the  honour  of  the  corps.' 
Then  the  whole  of  the  lads  gathered  round  Cuchulain 
and  began  to  threaten  him,  and  together  with  one  throw 
they  hurled  at  him  their  toy  spears,  on  every  side  at  once. 
But  Cuchulain  stood  firm,  and  one  and  all  he  parried 
them  and  caught  them  on  his  little  shield.  Then  all 
together  they  threw  at  him  their  hurley-sticks,  three 
fifties  at  a  time  ;  but  all  of  them  he  parried,  catching  a 
bundle  of  them  on  his  back.  Then  they  tried  their 
balls,  throwing  them  all  together,  but  he  fended  them  off 
with  arms  and  fists  and  the  palms  of  his  hands,  catch- 
ing them  into  his  bosom  as  they  fell.  After  a  long 
while  of  this  his  '  hero-fury  '  seized  Cuchulain.  His 
hair  rose  upright  on  his  head,  and  in  his  wrath  and  fierce- 
ness it  seemed  as  though  a  light  poured  forth  from  each 
single  hair,  crowning  him  with  a  crown  of  fire.  A  strong 
contortion  shook  him,  and  he  grew  larger  and  taller  as 


The  Boy-Corps  of  Conor         3 1 

he  stood  before  the  lads,  so  that  they  shrank  terrified 
before  him.  He  made  for  them  like  a  young  lion  spring- 
ing on  his  prey,  and  before  they  could  reach  the  door 
of  the  fort  fleeing  from  him  for  safety,  he  had  stretched 
fifty  of  them  on  the  ground. 

"  Now  it  happened  that  the  King  and  I,"  said  Fergus, 
"  were  playing  chess  together  at  a  table  in  the  open  air, 
on  the  borders  of  the  playing  field,  amusing  ourselves 
while  the  boys'  games  were  going  on.  Five  of  the 
boys,  not  seeing  in  their  haste  where  they  were  run- 
ning, rushed  past  the  place  where  Conor  and  I  were 
sitting,  and  nearly  overturned  the  table  with  the  chess. 
Cuchulain  was  in  full  pursuit,  and  he  seemed  about  to 
leap  the  table  to  make  after  them,  when  the  King  caught 
him  by  the  arm. 

"  '  Hold,  my  little  fellow,'  said  the  King,  restraining 
him,  '  I  see  this  is  no  gentle  game  thou  playest  with  the 
boy-corps.' 

"  '  What  could  I  do  ?  '  replied  the  lad.  '  I  came  to- 
day, O  King,  from  a  far  land  to  join  myself  with  them, 
and  they  have  not  been  good  to  me  ;  I  have  not  had  the 
reception  of  a  welcome  guest.' 

"  '  What  is  your  name,  little  one  ?  '  said  the  King. 
'  Setanta,  son  of  Sualtach,  is  my  name ;  your  own 
foster-son  am  I,  and  the  foster-son  of  Fergus,'  said  the 
boy.  '  It  was  not  fitting  that  I  should  have  had  this 
rough  reception.'  '  But  knewest  thou  not  the  rules 
of  the  boy-corps,  that  a  new-comer  must  go  under  their 
protection,  so  that  they  will  respect  his  life  ?  '  said  the 
King.  '  That  I  knew  not,'  said  the  boy,  '  otherwise  I 
should  have  conformed  to  their  rules  ;  do  thou  thyself 
undertake  my  protection,  I  pray  thee,  O  King.'  The 
King  liked  the  fine  spirit  of  the  lad,  and  his  open  face 


32  Cuchulain 

and  bravery  in  his  self-defence,  and  he  said,  '  I  will  do 
that,  my  boy.'  Then  he  called  the  boy-corps  together, 
and  said,  '  I,  myself,  have  taken  upon  me  the  protection 
of  this  little  boy  ;  promise  me  now  that  he  shall  play 
amongst  you  safely.'  '  We  promise  it,'  they  said.  Then 
all  made  off  to  play  again  ;  but  Setanta  does  just  what 
he  will  with  them,  wrestling  and  throwing  them,  and  soon 
fifty  of  them  are  stretched  upon  the  ground.  Their 
fathers  think  that  they  are  dead,  and  raise  a  cry  against 
Setanta.  But  no  such  thing  ;  merely  had  he  with  his 
charges,  pulls,  and  pushes  so  frightened  them,  that  they 
fell  down  at  last  through  terror  on  the  grass. 

"  '  What  on  earth  is  the  lad  at  with  them  now  ?  '  asks 
Conor. 

"  '  You  bound  them  over  to  protect  me,'  said  the  boy, 
4  but  you  never  bound  me  over  to  protect  them  ;  and 
I  avow  that  until  they  place  themselves  under  my  pro- 
tection, as  I  am  placed  under  theirs,  I  will  not  lighten 
my  hand  from  them.'  '  I  place  them  under  thy  pro- 
tection then,'  said  Conor.  '  And  I  grant  it,'  said  the 
lad. 

"  And  now,"  said  Fergus  to  Queen  Meave  and  Ailill, 
"  I  submit  that  a  youngster  who,  at  the  age  of  four  or 
five  years  did  all  this,  need  not  excite  your  wonder, 
because  now  being  turned  seventeen  years,  he  prove  a 
formidable  foe  to  Connaught  in  time  of  war." 

"  I  think  not  indeed,"  said  Ailill  ;  and  sulkily  Meave 
said,  "  Perhaps,  indeed,  he  may," 


CHAPTER  IV 
How  Cuchulain  got  his  Name 

THAT  evening  at  supper,  Meave  sat  silent,  as 
though  she  were  revolving  matters  in  her  mind. 
When  supper  was  ended  and  she  and  her  hus- 
band and  Fergus,  with  one  or  two  others  of  her  chief 
captains,  sat  in  the  tent- door  around  the  fire,  looking 
out  on  the  hosts  who  rested  at  close  of  day  by  the  forest 
fires,  singing  and  telling  tales,  as  was  their  wont  after 
the  evening  meal,  Meave  said  to  Fergus,  "  Just  now  you 
spoke  of  that  little  boy  as  Setanta,  but  I  have  heard  him 
called  Cuchulain,  or  Culain's  Hound  ;  how  did  he  get 
that  name  ?  " 

And  Cormac,  Conor's  son,  answered  eagerly,  "  I  will 
tell  you  that  story  myself,  for  I  was  present,  and  I 
know  the  way  of  it." 

"  Well,  tell  us  now,"  said  Meave  and  Ailill  both  at  once. 

And  Cormac  said — "  In  Ulster,  near  Cuchulain's 
country,  was  a  mighty  artificer  and  smith,  whose  name 
was  Culain.  Now  the  custom  is,  that  every  man  of 
means  and  every  owner  of  land  in  Ulster,  should, 
once  in  a  year  or  so,  invite  the  King  and  his  chiefs  to 
spend  a  few  days,  it  may  be  a  week  or  a  fortnight,  at  his 
house,  that  he  may  give  them  entertainment.  But 
Culain  owned  no  lands,  nor  was  he  rich,  for  only  the 
fruit  of  his  hammer,  of  his  anvil  and  his  tongs,  had  he. 
Nevertheless  he  desired   to   entertain  the    King    at    a 

o  33 


34  Cuchulain 

banquet,  and  he  went  to  Emain  to  invite  his  chief.  But 
he  said,  '  I  have  no  lands  or  store  of  wealth  ;  I  pray  thee, 
therefore,  to  bring  with  thee  but  a  few  of  thy  prime 
warriors,  because  my  house  cannot  contain  a  great  com- 
pany of  guests.'  So  the  King  said  he  would  go,  bringing 
but  a  small  retinue  with  him. 

"  Culain  returned  home  to  prepare  his  banquet,  and 
when  the  day  was  come,  towards  evening  the  King  set 
forth  to  reach  the  fort  of  Culain.  He  assumed  his  light, 
convenient  travelling  garb,  and  before  starting  he  went 
down  to  the  green  to  bid  the  boy-corps  farewell. 

"  There  he  saw  a  sight  so  curious  that  he  could  not 
tear  himself  away.  At  one  end  of  the  green  stood  a 
group  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  youths,  guarding  one  goal, 
all  striving  to  prevent  the  ball  of  a  single  little  boy, 
who  was  playing  against  the  whole  of  them,  from  getting 
in ;  but  for  all  that  they  could  do,  he  won  the  game, 
and  drove  his  ball  home  to  the  goal. 

"  Then  they  changed  sides,  and  the  little  lad  de- 
fended his  one  goal  against  the  hundred  and  fifty  balls 
of  the  other  youths,  all  sent  at  once  across  the  ground. 
But  though  the  youths  played  well,  following  up 
their  balls,  not  one  of  them  went  into  the  hole,  for  the 
little  boy  caught  them  one  after  another  just  outside, 
driving  them  hither  and  thither,  so  that  they  could 
not  make  the  goal.  But  when  his  turn  came  round  to 
make  the  counter-stroke,  he  was  as  successful  as 
before  ;  nay,  he  would  get  the  entire  set  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty  balls  into  their  hole,  for  all  that  they  could  do. 

"  Then  they  played  a  game  of  getting  each  other's 
cloaks  off  without  tearing  them,  and  he  would  have  their 
mantles  off,  one  after  the  other,  before  they  could,  on 
their  part,  even  unfasten  the  brooch  that  held  his  cloak. 


How  Cuchulain  got  his  Name     35 

When  they  wrestled  with  each  other,  it  was  the  same 
thing :  he  would  have  them  on  the  ground  before  all  of 
them  together  could  upset  him,  or  make  him  budge  a  foot. 

"  As  the  King  stood  and  watched  all  this,  he  said : 
'  'Tis  well  for  the  country  into  which  this  boy  has  come  ! 
A  clever  child  indeed  is  he  ;  were  but  his  acts  as  a  grown 
man  to  come  up  to  the  promise  of  his  youth,  he  might 
be  of  some  solid  use  to  us  ;  but  this  is  not  to  be  counted 
upon.'  " 

"  Then,"  Fergus  said,  breaking  in  upon  the  tale, 
"  I  was  vexed  because  the  King  seemed  to  doubt  the 
child,  whether  his  after  deeds  would  equal  the  promise 
of  his  youth  ;  and  I  spoke  up  and  said,  '  That,  O  King, 
I  think  not  wisely  said  ;  have  no  fear  for  this  boy,  for 
as  his  childish  deeds  outstrip  the  acts  of  childhood,  so 
will  his  manly  feats  outshine  the  deeds  of  heroes  and 
great  men.'  Then  the  King  said  to  me,  '  Have  the  child 
called,  that  we  may  take  him  with  us  to  the  banquet.' 

"  So  when  Setanta  came,  the  King  invited  him ;  but 
the  boy  said,  '  Excuse  me  now  awhile  ;  I  cannot  go  just 
now.'  '  How  so  ?  '  said  the  King,  surprised.  '  Because 
the  boy-corps  have  not  yet  had  enough  of  play.'  '  I 
cannot  wait  until  they  have,'  replied  the  King :  '  the 
night  is  growing  late.'  '  Wait  not  at  all,'  replied  the 
child  ;  '  I  will  even  finish  this  one  game,  and  will  run 
after  you.'  '  But,  young  one,  knowest  thou  the  way  ?  ' 
asked  the  King.  '  I  will  follow  the  trail  made  by  your 
company,  the  wheels  of  their  chariots  and  hoofs  of  the 
horses  on  the  road,'  he  replied." 

"  Thereupon," — continued  Cormac, — "  Conor  starts  ; 
and  in  time  for  the  banquet  he  reaches  Culain's  house, 
where,  with  due  honour,  he  is  received.  Fresh  rushes 
had  been  strewn  upon  the  floor,  the  tables  all  decked  out, 


36 


Cuchulain 


the  fires  burning  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  A  great  vat 
full  of  ale  stood  in  the  hall,  a  lofty  candlestick  gave  light, 
and  round  the  fires  stood  servants  cooking  savoury 
viands,  holding  them  on  forks  or  spits  of  wood.  Each 
man  of  the  King's  guests  entered  in  order  of  his  rank, 
and  sat  at  the  feast  in  his  own  allotted  place,  hanging  his 
weapons  up  above  his  head.  The  King  occupied  the 
central  seat,  his  poets,  counsellors,  and  chiefs  sitting 
©n  either  hand  according  to  their  state  and  dignity. 
As  they  were  sitting  down,  the  smith  Culain  came  to 
Conor  and  asked  him,  '  Good  now,  O  King,  before  we 
sit  at  meat  I  would  even  know  whether  anyone  at  all 
will  follow  thee  this  night  to  my  dwelling,  or  is  thy  whole 
company  gathered  now  within  ?  '  '  All  are  now  here,' 
said  the  King,  quite  forgetting  the  wee  boy ;  '  but 
wherefore  askest  thou  ?  ' 

"  '  It  is  only  that  I  have  an  excellent  watch-dog,  fierce 
and  strong  ;  and  when  his  chain  is  taken  off,  and  he 
is  set  free  to  guard  the  house,  no  one  dare  come  any- 
where within  the  same  district  with  him  ;  he  is  furious 
with  all  but  me,  and  he  has  the  strength  and  savage 
force  of  a  hundred  ordinary  watch-dogs.  This  dog  was 
brought  to  me  from  Spain,  and  no  dog  in  the  country 
can  equal  him.'  '  Let  him  be  set  loose,  for  all  are  here,' 
said  Conor  ;  '  well  will  he  guard  this  place  for  us.' 

"  So  Culain  loosed  the  dog,  and  with  one  spring  it 
bounded  forth  out  of  the  court  of  the  house  and  over 
the  wall  of  the  rath,  making  a  circuit  of  the  entire 
district ;  and  when  it  came  back  panting,  with  its 
tongue  hanging  from  its  jaws,  it  took  up  its  usual  position 
in  front  of  the  house,  and  there  crouched  with  its  head 
upon  its  paws,  watching  the  high  road  to  Emain.  Surely 
an  extraordinarily  cruel  and  fierce  and  savage  dog  was  he. 


How  Cuchulain  got  his  Name     37 

"  When  the  boy-corps  broke  up  that  night,  each  of  the 
lads  returning  to  the  house  of  his  parent  or  his  fosterer 
or  guardian,  Setanta,  trusting  to  the  trail  of  the  com- 
pany that  went  with  Conor,  struck  out  for  Culain's 
house.  With  his  club  and  ball  he  ran  forward,  and 
the  distance  seemed  short  on  account  of  his  interest  in 
the  game.  As  soon  as  he  arrived  on  the  green  of 
Culain's  fort,  the  mastiff  noticed  him,  and  set  up  such  a 
howling  as  echoed  loud  through  all  the  country-side. 
Inside  the  house  the  King  and  his  followers  heard,  but 
were  struck  dumb  with  fear,  nor  dared  to  move,  think- 
ing surely  to  find  the  little  lad  dead  at  the  door  of  the 
fort.  As  for  the  hound  himself,  he  thought  with  but  one 
gulp  to  swallow  Setanta  whole.  Now  the  little  lad  was 
without  any  means  of  defence  beyond  his  ball  and 
hurley-stick.  He  never  left  his  play  till  he  came 
near.  Then,  as  the  hound  charged  open- jawed,  with  all 
his  strength  he  threw  the  ball  right  into  the  creature's 
mouth  ;  and  as  for  a  moment  the  hound  stopped  short, 
choking  as  the  ball  passed  down  its  throat,  the  lad 
seized  hold  of  the  mastiff's  open  jaws,  grasping  its 
throat  with  one  hand  and  the  back  of  its  head  with 
the  other,  and  so  violently  did  he  strike  its  head  against 
the  pillars  of  the  door,  that  it  was  no  long  time  until 
the  creature  lay  dead  upon  the  ground. 

"  When  Culain  and  the  warriors  within  had  heard  the 
mastiff  howl,  they  asked  each  other,  as  soon  as  they  got 
back  their  voices,  '  What  makes  the  watch-dog  cry  ? ' 
'  Alas  !  '  the  King  said,  '  'tis  no  good  luck  that  brought 
us  on  our  present  trip.'  '  Why  so  ?  '  inquired  all. 
'  I  mean  that  the  little  boy,  my  foster-son  and  Fergus's, 
Setanta,  son  of  Sualtach,  it  is  who  promised  to  come 
after  me;  now,  even  now,  he  is  doubtless  fallen  by  the 


38 


Cuchulain 


hound  of  Culain.'  Then,  when  they  heard  that  it  was 
Conor's  foster-son  who  was  without,  on  the  instant  to 
one  man  they  rose  ;  and  though  the  doors  of  the  fort 
were  thrown  wide  they  could  not  wait  for  that,  but  out 
they  stormed  over  the  walls  and  ramparts  of  the  fort  to 
find  the  boy." 

"  Quick  the}''  were,"  said  Fergus,  interrupting,  "  yet 
did  I  outstrip  them,  and  at  the  rampart's  outer  door 
I  found  the  child,  and  the  great  hound  dead  beside  him. 
Without  a  pause  I  picked  up  the  boy  and  hoisted 
him  on  my  shoulder,  and  thus,  with  all  the  heroes 
following,  we  came  to  Conor,  and  I  placed  him 
between  the  monarch's  knees." 

"  Yes,  so  it  was,"  said  Cormac,  taking  up  the  story 
again  where  he  had  left  it ;  "  but  let  me  tell  of  Culain. 
The  smith  went  out  to  find  his  dog,  and  when  he  saw  him 
lying  there,  knocked  almost  to  pieces  and  quite  dead,  his 
heart  was  vexed  within  him.  He  went  back  to  the  house, 
and  said,  '  'Twas  no  good  luck  that  urged  me  to  make 
this  feast  for  thee,  O  King  ;  would  I  had  not  prepared  a 
banquet.  My  life  is  a  life  lost,  and  my  substance  is  but 
substance  wasted  without  my  dog.  He  was  a  defence 
and  protection  to  our  property  and  our  cattle,  to  every 
beast  we  had  and  to  our  house.  Little  boy,'  said  he, 
'  you  are  welcome  for  your  people's  sake,  you  are  not 
welcome  for  your  own  ;  that  was  a  good  member  of  my 
family  thou  didst  take  from  me,  a  safeguard  of  raiment, 
of  flocks  and  herds.'  '  Be  not  vexed  thereat,'  replied  the 
child,  '  for  I  myself  will  fix  on  my  own  punishment. 
This  shall  it  be.  If  in  all  Ireland  a  whelp  of  that  dog's 
breed  is  to  be  found,  'tis  I  myself  will  rear  him  up  for 
thee  till  he  be  fit  to  take  the  watchdog's  place.  In  the 
meantime,  O  Culain,  I  myself  will  be  your  hound  for 


How  Cuchulain  got  his  Name     39 

defence  of  your  cattle  and  for  your  own  defence,  until  the 
dog  be  grown  and  capable  of  action  ;  I  will  defend  the 
territory,  and  no  cattle  or  beast  or  store  of  thine  shall 
be  taken  from  thee,  without  my  knowing  it.' 

"  '  Well  hast  thou  made  the  award,'  said  they  all, 
'  and  henceforward  shall  your  name  be  changed  ;  you 
shall  no  longer  be  called  Setanta ;  Cu-Chulain,  or  the 
"  Hound  of  Culain,"  shall  your  name  be. 

"  '  I  like  my  own  name  best,'  the  child  objected.  '  Ah, 
say  not  so,'  replied  the  magician,  '  for  one  day  will  the 
name  of  Cuchulain  ring  in  all  men's  mouths  ;  among  the 
brave  ones  of  the  whole  wide  world  Cuchulain's  name 
shall  find  a  place.  Renowned  and  famous  shall  he  be, 
beloved  and  feared  by  all.'  '  If  that  is  so,  then  am  I 
well  content,'  replied  the  boy. 

"So  from  that  day  forth  the  name  Cuchulain  clung 
to  him,  until  the  time  came  when  he  was  no  longer 
remembered  as  the  Hound  of  Culain's  Fort,  but  as  the 
guardian  and  watch- dog  of  defence  to  the  Province 
against  her  foes ;  and  then  men  loved  best  to  call  him 
'  The  Hound  of  Ulster.' 

"  Now,"  continued  Cormac,  "  it  would  be  reasonable 
to  expect  that  the  little  boy,  who,  at  the  age  of  six  or 
seven  years  slew  a  dog  whom  a  whole  company  would 
not  dare  to  touch  when  he  was  at  large,  would,  at  the  age 
of  a  grown  youth,  be  formidable  to  Ulster's  foes." 

And  Meave  was  forced  to  admit  that  it  was  likely  that 
he  would. 


CHAPTER  V 
How  Cuchulain  took  Arms 

WHEN  Meave  had  thought  awhile,  she  said, 
"  Are  there  yet  other  stories  of  this  won- 
drous boy  ?  "  "  Indeed,"  cried  Fiacra,  one 
of  the  companions  of  Cormac,  who  came  with  him  when 
he  went  from  Ulster  into  exile,  "  the  story  of  his  taking 
arms  is  not  told  yet,  and  I  think  it  more  than  all  the 
other  stories  you  have  heard."  "  How  so  ?  "  said 
Meave  ;  "  tell  it  to  us  now." 

Then  Fiacra  said,  "  The  very  year  after  Cuchulain 
got  his  name,  he  was  playing  outside  the  place  where 
Caffa  the  magician  sat  with  eight  of  his  pupils  teaching 
them  his  lore.  It  chanced  that  he  was  telling  them,  as 
the  magicians  and  Druids  are  wont  to  believe,  that 
certain  days  were  lucky  for  special  acts  and  other  days 
unlucky.  '  And  for  what,'  asked  one  of  the  boys, 
*  would  this  day  at  which  we  now  are  be  counted 
lucky  ?  '  " 

"  This  is  the  day,"  said  Caffa,  "  on  which  any  youth 
who  should  assume  arms,  as  became  a  champion  of  war, 
should  attain  eternal  fame  ;  beside  him,  no  warrior's 
name  in  Ireland  should  ever  more  be  named,  or  spoken 
in  the  same  breath  with  it,  for  his  glory  would  transcend 
them  all.  For  such  a  youth,  however,  no  happy  thing 
were  this,  for  he  should  die  at  an  early  age,  no  long-lived 
warrior  he ;  his  life  shall  be  but  fleeting,  quickly  o'er." 

40 


How  Cuchulain  took  Arms       41 

Outside  the  house  Cuchulain  overheard  the  conversa- 
tion of  the  teacher  with  his  boys.  Instantly  and  without 
a  moment's  pause  he  laid  aside  his  hurley  and  his  ball, 
and  put  off  his  playing-suit.  Then,  donning  his  ordinary 
apparel,  he  entered  the  sleeping-house  of  the  King. 
"  All  good  be  thine,  O  King,"  said  he.  "  Boy,  what  hast 
thou  now  come  to  ask  of  me  ?  "  replied  the  King.  "  I 
desire,"  said  he,  "  to  take  arms  as  a  warrior  and  cham- 
pion to-day."  "  Who  told  thee  to  ask  for  this  ?  "  said 
the  King,  surprised.  "  My  master  Caffa,  the  magician," 
answered  he.  "  If  that  is  so,  thou  shalt  not  be  denied," 
replied  the  King,  and  he  called  on  those  who  were  about 
him  to  give  the  lad  two  spears  and  sword  and  shield  : 
for  in  Emain  the  King  had  always  ready  seventeen  com- 
plete equipments  of  weapons  and  armature ;  for  he 
himself  bestowed  weapons  on  a  youth  of  the  boy-corps 
when  he  was  ready  to  bear  arms,  to  bring  him  luck  in 
using  them.  Cuchulain  began  to  try  those  weapons, 
brandishing  and  bending  them  to  try  their  strength  and 
fitness  to  his  hand  ;  but  one  after  another  they  all  gave 
way,  and  were  broken  into  pieces  and  little  fragments. 
"  These  weapons  are  not  good,"  said  he  ;  "  they  are  but 
the  equipment  of  a  common  warrior,  they  suffice  me 
not."  Then  when  he  had  tried  them  all,  and  put  them 
from  him,  the  King  said  :  "  Here,  my  lad,  are  my  own 
two  spears,  my  own  sword  and  shield."  Then  Cuchu- 
lain took  these  weapons,  and  in  every  way,  by  bending 
them  from  point  to  hilt,  by  brandishing  them,  by  thrust- 
ing with  them,  he  proved  their  strength  and  mettle. 
"  These  arms  are  good,"  said  he,  "  they  break  not  in  my 
hand.  Fair  fall  the  land  and  country  whose  King  can 
wield  armour  and  weapons  such  as  these  !  " 

Just  at  the  moment  Caffa  came  into  the  tent.     Won- 


42  Cuchulain 

dering,  he  asked :  "Is  the  little  boy  so  soon  assuming 
arms  ?  "  "  Ay,  so  it  is,"  said  the  King.  "  Unhappy 
is  the  mother  whose  son  assumes  arms  to-day,"  said 
the  magician.  "  How  now  ?  "  cried  the  King  ;  "  was 
it  not  yourself  who  prompted  him  ?  "  "  Not  so,  in- 
deed," said  Caff  a.  "  Mad  boy,  what  made  you  then 
deceive  me,  telling  me  that  Caffa  it  was  who  prompted 
you  to  ask  for  arms  ?  "  "  O  King  of  Heroes,  be  not 
wrath,"  replied  the  lad.  "  No  thought,  indeed,  had  I 
to  deceive.  When  Caffa  was  instructing  his  pupils  in  the 
house  to-day,  I  overheard,  as  I  was  playing  with  my  ball 
outside,  one  of  the  lads  asking  him  what  special  virtue 
lay  in  this  day,  and  for  what  it  was  a  lucky  day.  And 
he  told  them  that  for  him  who  should  assume  arms  this 
day,  his  luck  should  be  so  great  that  his  fame  would 
outstrip  the  fame  of  all  Ireland's  heroes,  and  he  would 
be  the  first  of  Ireland's  men.  And  for  this  great  re- 
ward no  compensating  disadvantage  would  accrue  to 
him,  save  that  his  life  should  be  but  fleeting." 

"  True  is  that,  indeed,"  said  Caffa,  "  noble  and  famous 
thou  shalt  be,  but  short  and  brief  thy  life."  "  Little 
care  I  for  that,"  replied  the  lad,  "nor  though  my  life 
endured  but  for  one  day  and  night,  so  only  that  the 
story  of  myself  and  of  my  deeds  shall  last." 

"  Then  get  thee  into  a  chariot,  as  a  warrior  should, 
and  let  us  test  thy  title  to  a  future  fame." 

So  a  chariot  of  two  horses  was  brought  to  Cuchulain, 
and  every  way  he  tried  its  strength,  driving  it  furiously 
round  and  round  the  green,  goading  the  horses  and  turn- 
ing suddenly.  But  for  this  usage  the  chariot  was  not  fit, 
and  it  broke  beneath  him.  Twelve  chariots  were  brought 
to  him,  and  he  tested  them  all  in  this  manner,  but  all  of 
them  he   reduced   to   fragments.     "  These   chariots   of 


Cuchulain  desires  Arms  of  the  King 


42 


How  Cuchulain  took  Arms        43 

thine,  0  Conor,  are  no  good  at  all,  they  serve  me  not, 
nor  are  they  worthy  of  me,  thy  own  foster-son." 

Then  the  King  cried  :  "  Fetch  me  here  Ivar,  my  own 
charioteer,  and  let  him  harness  my  steeds  into  the  kingly 
chariot,  and  bring  it  here  to  serve  Cuchulain."  Then 
the  kingly  chariot  of  war  was  brought  and  Cuchulain 
mounted,  testing  it  every  way  ;  and  well  it  served  him 
at  every  test.  "  The  chariot  is  good,  and  the  steeds  are 
good,  they  are  worthy  of  me,"  said  the  boy  ;  "  it  is  my 
worthy  match." 

"  Well,  boy,  it  is  time  that  thou  wert  satisfied  at  last ; 
now  I  will  take  the  horses  home  and  put  them  out  to 
graze,"  said  Ivar. 

"  Not  yet  awhile,"  said  Cuchulain.  "  Drive  but  the 
horses  round  the  kingly  fort."  Ivar  did  so,  and  then  he 
said  again  :  "Be  satisfied  now,  my  lad  ;  I  go  to  turn 
the  horses  out  to  grass."  For  it  was  but  seldom  that 
King  Conor  went  forth  in  his  war-chariot,  because  the 
men  of  Ulster  willed  not  that  the  King  should  expose 
his  person  in  battle  ;  so  Ivar  was  grown  idle,  and  fat 
through  his  idleness,  and  he  liked  not  at  all  the  un- 
wonted exertion  that  the  wee  boy  asked  of  him. 

"  Not  yet  awhile,"  said  Cuchulain  again  ;  "  too  early 
is  it  to  turn  in  ;  drive  now  towards  the  playing-fields 
that  the  boy-corps  may  salute  me  on  this  the  first  day 
of  my  taking  arms."  They  did  so,  and  the  boy-corps 
gathered  round.  "  These  are  a  warrior's  arms  that  thou 
hast  taken  !  "  cried  they  all,  surprised  to  see  him  thus 
equipped  in  the  King's  own  warrior-gear,  and  driving 
in  the  chariot  of  the  King.  "  Just  so,  indeed,"  replied 
the  boy.  Then  they  wished  him  well  in  his  warrior- 
career.  "  May  success  in  winning  of  spoils,  and  in  blood- 
drawing,  be  thine,"  they  cried.     "  But  all  too  soon  it  is 


44  Cuchulain 

thou   leavest   us   and  our   boyish  sports    for   deeds   of 
war."     "  In  no  way  do  I  wish  to  part  with  the  beloved 
boy-corps,"  replied  the  lad  ;    "  but  it  was  a  sign  of  luck 
and   good   fortune   that   I   should   take   arms   to-day ; 
therefore  I  thought  not  well  to  miss  my  luck." 

Then  Ivar  urged  the  child  again,  for  he  was  growing 
tired  of  the  thing,  to  let  him  take  the  horses  out  to 
graze.  "  'Tis  early  yet,  0  Ivar,"  said  the  boy  ;  "  whither 
then  goes  this  great  High-road  I  see  ?  "  "  That  is  the 
High-road  to  the  borders  of  the  Province,  and  to  the 
Ford  of  Watching  or  the  Look-out  Ford,"  replied  the 
charioteer.  "  Why  is  it  called  the  Look-out  Ford  ?  " 
asked  then  the  boy.  "  Because  there,  on  the  extreme 
limits  of  the  Province,  a  watcher  who  is  a  prime  warrior  of 
Ulster  always  stands,  prepared  to  challenge  any  stranger, 
before  he  pass  the  ford,  of  his  business  in  the  Province  : 
if  he  who  comes  be  a  bard  or  peaceful  man,  to  grant 
him  protection  and  entertainment ;  but  if  he  be  a  foe, 
to  challenge  him  to  combat  at  the  ford.  And  seldom," 
said  the  charioteer,  "  does  a  day  pass,  but  at  the  ford 
some  enemy  is  slain.  As  to  the  bards  who  pass  in  peace, 
no  doubt  it  is  the  kindness  of  that  warrior  they  will 
praise  when  once  they  come  to  Emain,  and  stand  before 
the  King."  "  Who  guards  the  ford  this  day,  if  thou 
dost  know  ?  "  inquired  Cuchulain.  "  Conall  the 
Victorious,  Ulster's  foremost  man  of  war,  it  is  who  holds 
the  ford  this  day."  "  Away  then,"  cried  the  lad, 
"  goad  on  thy  steeds,  for  we  will  seek  the  ford  and 
Conall." 

"  The  horses  are  already  tired,  we  have  done  enough 
for  this  one  day,"  quoth  Ivar.  "  The  day  is  early  yet, 
and  our  day's  labours  hardly  yet  begun,"  replied  the 
youth  ;    "  away  with  you  along  this  road." 


How  Cuchulain  took  Arms       45 

They  come  at  last  to  the  ford's  brink,  and  there  beside 
the  Ford  of  Watching  stood  young  Conall,  at  that  time 
Ulster's  foremost  man  of  war. 

When  he  saw  the  lad  driving  fully  equipped  for  war 
in  the  chariot  of  the  King,  he  felt  surprise.  "  Are  you 
taking  arms  to-day,  small  boy  ?  "  he  said.  "  He  is 
indeed,"  said  Ivar.  "  May  triumph  and  victory  and 
drawing  of  first  blood  come  with  them,"  answered 
Conall,  for  he  loved  the  little  lad,  and  many  a  time  he 
had  said  to  his  fellows  :  "  The  day  will  come  when  this 
young  boy  will  dispute  the  championship  of  Ireland 
with  me."  "Nevertheless,"  said  he  to  Cuchulain,  "it 
seems  to  me  that  oversoon  thou  hast  assumed  these  arms, 
seeing  that  thou  art  not  yet  fit  for  exploits  or  for  war." 
The  boy  heeded  not  this,  but  eagerly  asked,  "  What  is  it 
thou  doest  at  the  Ford  of  Watching,  Conall  ?  "  "On 
behalf  of  the  Province  I  keep  watch  and  ward,  lest 
enemies  creep  in." 

"  Give  up  thy  place  to  me,  for  this  one  day  let  me 
take  duty,"  said  Cuchulain.  "  Say  not  so,"  replied  the 
champion,  "  for  as  yet  thou  art  not  fit  to  cope  with  a 
right  fighting-man." 

"  Then  on  my  own  account  must  I  go  down  into  the 
shallows  of  yon  lake,  to  see  whether  there  I  may  draw 
blood  on  either  friend  or  foe."  "  I  will  go  with  thee, 
then,  to  protect  thee,  to  the  end  that  on  the  border- 
marshes  thou  run  not  into  danger."  "  Nay,  come  not 
with  me,  let  me  <?o  alone  to-day,"  urged  the  lad.  "  That 
I  will  not,"  said  Conall,  "  for,  were  I  to  allow  thee  all 
alone  to  frequent  these  dangerous  fighting  grounds,  on 
me  would  Ulster  avenge  it,  if  harm  should  come  to  thee." 

Then  Conall  had  his  chariot  made  ready  and  his  horses 
harnessed ;    soon   he   overtook  Cuchulain,  who,  to  cut 


46 


Cuchulain 


short  the  matter,  had  gone  on  before.  He  came  up 
abreast  with  him,  and  Cuchulain,  seeing  this,  felt  sure 
that,  Conall  being  there,  no  chance  for  deed  of  prowess 
would  come  his  way  ;  for,  if  some  deed  of  mortal  daring 
were  to  be  done,  Conall  himself  would  undertake  the 
same.  Therefore  he  took  up  from  the  road  a  smooth 
round  stone  that  filled  his  fist,  and  with  it  he  made  a  very 
careful  shot  at  ConalPs  chariot-yoke.  It  broke  in  two, 
and  the  chariot  came  down,  Conall  being  thrown  for- 
ward over  his  horses'  heads. 

"  What's  this,  ill-mannered  boy  ?  "  said  he. 

"  I  did  it  in  order  to  see  whether  my  marksmanship 
were  good,  and  whether  there  were  the  makings  of  a  man- 
at-arms  in  me."  "  Poison  take  both  thy  shot  and  thyself 
as  well ;  and  though  thy  head  should  now  fall  a  prize 
to  some  enemy  of  thine,  yet  never  a  foot  farther  will  I 
budge  to  keep  thee." 

"  The  very  thing  I  asked  of  thee,"  replied  the  boy, 
"  and  I  do  so  in  this  strange  manner,  because  I  know  it  is 
a  custom  among  the  men  of  Ulster  to  turn  back  when 
any  violence  is  done  to  them.  Thus  have  I  made  the 
matter  sure."  On  that,  Conall  turned  back  to  his  post 
beside  the  Look-out  Ford,  and  the  little  boy  went  forward 
southward  to  the  shallows  of  the  marshy  loch,  and  he 
rested  there  till  evening-tide. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Of  Cuchulain's  First  Feats  of  Championship 

f  |  *\HEN  Ivar  said,  "  If  one  might  venture  to  make 
a  suggestion  to  such  a  little  one,  I  should  re- 

JL  joice  if  we  might  now  turn  back  and  find  our 
way  home  to  Emain  again.  For  at  this  moment  in 
the  hall  supper  is  being  carved  and  the  feast  has  just 
begun  ;  and  though  for  you  your  appointed  place  is 
kept  at  Conor's  side  until  you  come,  I,  on  the  contrary, 
if  I  come  late  must  fit  in  where  I  may  among  the  grooms 
and  jesters  of  the  house.  For  this  reason  I  judge  it  now 
high  time  that  I  were  back  to  scramble  for  my  place." 

"  Harness  the  horses  and  prepare  the  chariot,"  Cuchu- 
lain  said,  and  thinking  that  they  now  were  going  home, 
the  charioteer  most  gladly  hastened  to  obey.  "  What 
mountain  is  that  over  there  ?  "  inquired  the  boy. 
"  Slieve  Mourn,"  replied  the  driver.  "  Let  us  go 
thither,"  said  the  lad.  They  reach  the  mountain's  foot, 
and,  "  What  is  that  cairn  I  see  upon  the  top  ?  "  said  he 
again.  "  The  White  Cairn  is  its  name,"  quoth  Ivar 
sulkily.  "  I  would  like  to  visit  the  White  Cairn,"  said 
the  boy.  "  The  hill  is  high,  and  it  is  getting  late," 
replied  the  charioteer.  "  Thou  art  a  lazy  loon,"  Cuchu- 
lain  says,  "  and  the  more  so  that  this  is  my  first  day's 
adventure-quest,  and  thy  first  day's  trip  abroad  with 
me."  "  And  if  it  is,"  cried  Ivar,  "  and  if  ever  we  get 
home  again,  for  ever  and  for  ever  may  it  be  my  last  !  " 

47 


48 


Cuchulain 


They  gained  the  topmost  peak,  and  far  away  descried 
a  stretch  of  level  country.  "  Come  now,  driver,"  said  the 
lad,  "  describe  to  me  from  here  the  whole  of  Ulster's 
wide  domain  ;  its  forts  and  dwellings,  fords  and  meadow- 
lands,  its  hills  and  open  spaces.  Name  every  place  in 
order,  that  thus  I  may  the  better  know  my  way  about. 

"  What  is  yon  well-defined  plain  with  hollow  glens  and 
running  streams  before  us  to  the  south  ?  "  "  Moy  Bray," 
replied  the  charioteer.  "  The  names,  again,  of  all  the 
forts  and  palaces  scattered  over  it  ?  "  Then  Ivar  pointed 
out  the  kingly  dwelling-places  of  Tara  and  Taillte,  and 
the  summer  palace  of  Cletty  on  the  river  Boyne  ;  the 
Fairy  Mound  of  Angus  Og,  the  god  of  Youth  and  Beauty, 
and  the  burial-tomb  of  the  Great  God  or  Dagda  Mor. 
And  at  the  last  he  showed  beneath  the  hill  where  lay 
the  fort  of  the  three  fierce  and  warlike  sons  of  Nechtan 
the  Mighty. 

"  Are  those  the  sons  of  Nechtan  of  whom  I  heard  it 
said  that  the  Ulstermen  who  are  yet  alive  are  not  so 
many  as  have  fallen  by  their  hands  ?  "  "  The  same," 
said  Ivar.  "  Away  then,  with  us  straight  to  Nechtan's 
fort,"  Cuchulain  cried.  "  Woe  waits  on  him  who  goes  to 
Nechtan's  fort,"  replied  the  charioteer ;  "  whoever  goes 
or  goes  not,  I  for  one  will  never  go."  "  Alive  or  dead 
thou  goest  there,  however,"  said  the  boy.  "  Alive  I  go 
then,  but  sure  it  is  that  dead  I  shall  be  left  there,"  replied 
the  charioteer. 

They  make  their  way  then  down  the  hill  and  reach 
the  green  before  the  fort  at  the  meeting  of  the  bog- 
land  and  the  stream  ;  and  in  the  centre  of  the  green  they 
saw  an  upright  pillar-stone,  encircled  by  an  iron  collar 
on  its  top.  Words  were  engraven  on  the  collar  forbidding 
any  man-at-arms  or  warrior  to  depart  off  the  green,  once 


Cuchulain's  First  Feats  49 

he  had  entered  it,  without  challenging  to  single  combat 
some  one  of  those  living  within  the  fort.  Cuchulain  read 
the  writing,  and  he  took  the  collar  off  the  pillar-stone,  and 
with  all  his  strength  he  hurled  it  down  the  stream,  for 
it  was  thus  the  challenge  should  be  made. 

"  In  my  poor  opinion,"  said  the  charioteer,  "  the  collar 
was  much  safer  where  it  was,  and  well  I  know  that  this 
time,  at  all  events,  thou  wilt  find  the  object  of  thy  careful 
search,  a  quick  and  violent  death."  "  Good,  good,  O 
driver,  talk  not  over  much,  but  spread  for  me  the  chariot 
coverings  on  the  ground,  that  I  may  sleep  a  while." 

Now  the  charioteer  was  frightened,  for  he  knew  the 
fierceness  and  ill-fame  of  the  sons  of  Nechtan,  and  he 
grumbled  that  Cuchulain  should  be  so  rash  and  fool- 
hardy in  a  land  of  foemen  as  to  sleep  before  their  very 
door  ;  but  for  all  that  he  dared  not  disobey,  and  he  took 
the  cushions  out  of  the  chariot  and  spread  them  on  the 
ground,  and  covered  Cuchulain  with  the  skins  ;  and  in 
a  moment  the  little  fellow  was  asleep,  his  head  resting 
peacefully  on  his  hand.  Just  then  Foil,  son  of  Nechtan, 
issued  from  the  fort.  Ivar  would  well  have  liked  to 
waken  up  Cuchulain,  but  he  did  not  dare,  for  the  child 
had  said  before  he  fell  asleep  :  "  Waken  me  up  if  many 
come,  but  waken  me  not  for  a  few; "  and  Foil  mac  Nechtan 
came  alone.  At  sight  of  the  chariot  standing  on  his 
lands,  the  warrior  thundered  forth,  "  Driver,  be  off  at 
once  with  those  horses  ;  let  them  not  graze  upon  our 
ground ;  unyoke  them  not."  "  I  have  not  unyoked 
them,"  said  the  charioteer.  "  I  hold  the  reins  yet  in  my 
hands,  ready  for  the  road."  "  Whose  steeds  and  chariot 
are  they  ?  "  enquired  the  man.  "  The  steeds  of  Conor, 
King  of  Ulster,"  said  Ivar.  "  Just  as  I  thought,"  said 
Foil ;  "  and  who  has  brought  them  to  these  borders  ?  " 


50  Cuchulain 

"  A  young  bit  of  a  little  boy,"  said  Ivar,  hoping  to  hinder 
Foil  from  fighting  him.  "  A  high-headed  wee  fellow, 
who,  for  luck,  has  taken  arms  to-day,  and  come  into  the 
marshes  to  show  off  his  form  and  skill  as  though  he 
were  a  grown  champion."  "  Ill-luck  to  him,  whoever 
he  is,"  said  Foil ;  "  were  he  a  man  capable  of  fight,  I 
would  send  him  back  to  the  King  dead  instead  of  alive." 
"  Capable  of  fight  he  is  not,  indeed,  nor  a  man  at  all," 
said  Ivar,  "  but  only  a  small  child  of  seven  years,  playing 
at  being  a  man." 

Cuchulain  in  his  sleep  heard  the  affront  that  the 
charioteer  put  upon  him,  and  from  head  to  foot  he 
blushed  a  rosy  red.  His  face  he  lifted  from  the  ground 
and  said  :  "  I  am  not  a  child  at  all,  but  ripe  and  fit  for 
action,  as  you  will  see  ;  this  '  small  child  '  here  has  come 
to  seek  for  battle  with  a  man."  "  I  rather  hold  that 
fit  for  action  thou  art  not,"  replied  Foil,  surprised  to 
find  the  little  fellow  rising  from  his  sleep  and  speaking 
with  such  boldness.  "  That  we  shall  know  presently," 
replied  the  boy ;  "  come  down  only  to  the  ford,  where  it  is 
customary  in  Ireland  that  combats  should  take  place. 
But  first  go  home  and  fetch  your  arms,  for  in  cowardly 
guise  come  you  hither,  and  never  will  I  fight  with  men 
unarmed,  or  messengers,  or  drivers  in  their  cloaks,  but 
only  with  full-weaponed  men-of-war." 

"  That  suits  me  well,"  said  Foil,  and  he  rushed  head- 
long for  his  arms.  "  It  will  suit  you  even  better  when  we 
come  to  the  ford,"  said  Cuchulain.  Then  Ivar  warned 
Cuchulain  that  this  Foil  was  no  ordinary  foe  ;  "  he  bears 
a  charmed  life,"  said  he,  "and  only  he  who  slays  him 
with  one  stroke  has  any  chance  of  killing  him  at  all. 
No  sword-edge  can  bite  or  wound  him,  he  can  only  be 
slain  by  the  first  thrust  of  a  spear,  or  blow  of  a  weapon 


Cuchulain's  First  Feats  5  1 

from  a  distance."  "  Then  I  will  play  a  special  feat  on 
him,"  returned  the  boy ;  "  surely  it  is  to  humble  me  you 
warn  me  thus."  With  that  he  took  in  his  hand  his 
hard-tempered  iron  ball,  and  with  a  strong  and  exact 
throw  just  as  Foil  was  coming  forth,  full-armoured 
from  the  fort,  he  launched  the  ball,  which  pierced  the 
warrior's  forehead,  so  that  he  fell  headlong  on  the  ground, 
uttering  his  last  cry  of  pain,  and  with  that  he  died. 

Within  the  fort  his  brothers  heard  that  cry,  and  the 
second  brother  rushes  out.  "  No  doubt  you  think  this 
is  a  great  feat  you  have  done,  and  one  to  boast  of,"  he 
cried.  "I  think  not  the  slaying  of  any  single  man  a 
cause  to  boast  at  all,"  replied  the  boy ;  "  but  hasten 
now  and  fetch  your  weapons,  for  in  the  guise  of  an 
unweaponed  messenger  or  chariot-boy  come  you 
hither."  "  Beware  of  this  man,"  said  Ivar  ;  "  Tuacall, 
or  '  Cunning  '  is  his  name,  for  so  swift  and  dexterous  is 
he,  that  no  man  has  ever  been  able  to  pierce  him  with 
any  weapon  at  all." 

"  It  is  not  fitting  that  you  speak  like  this  to  me," 
said  Cuchulain.  "  I  will  take  the  great  spear  of  Conor, 
and  with  it  I  will  pierce  his  shield  and  heart,  before  ever 
he  comes  near  me." 

And  so  he  did,  for  hardly  was  the  Cunning  One  come 
forth  out  of  the  fort,  than  Cuchulain  threw  the  heavy 
spear  ;  it  entered  his  heart  and  went  out  behind  him. 
As  he  fell  dead,  Cuchulain  leaped  on  him,  and  cut  off 
his  head. 

Then  the  third  son  of  Nechtan  came  out,  and  scoffed 
at  the  lad.  "  Those  were  but  simpletons  and  fools  with 
whom  thou  hast  fought  hitherto,"  he  said  ;  "  I  challenge 
thee  to  come  down  to  the  ford,  and  out  upon  the  middle 
of   the   stream,   and  we  will    see  thy  bravery  there." 


52  Cuchulain 

Cuchulain  asks  him  what  he  means  by  this,  and  Ivar 
breaks  in  :  "  Do  you  not  know  that  this  is  Fandall,  son 
of  Nechtan,  and  Fainle  or  Fandall,  a  '  Swallow,'  is  his 
name,  because  he  travels  over  the  water  with  the  swift- 
ness of  a  swallow,  nor  can  the  swimmers  of  the  whole 
world  attempt  to  cope  with  him.  Beware  of  him  and 
go  not  to  the  ford." 

"  Not  fitting  are  such  words  to  be  spoken  to  me," 
replied  the  lad,  "  for  do  you  not  remember  the  river 
we  have  in  Emain,  called  the  Callan  ?  When  the  boy- 
corps  break  off  their  sports  and  plunge  into  the  stream 
to  swim,  do  you  not  know  that  I  can  take  one  of  them  on 
either  shoulder  or  even  on  my  palms,  and  carry  them 
across  the  water  without  wetting  so  much  as  their  ankles  ? 
For  another  man,  your  words  are  good ;  they  are  not 
good  for  me." 

Then  came  Fainle  forth,  and  he  and  the  lad  entered 
the  stream  together,  and  swam  out  and  wrestled 
in  deep  water.  But  suddenly,  by  a  swift  turn,  the 
youngster  clasped  his  arms  about  him,  laid  him  even 
with  the  top  of  the  water,  and  with  one  stroke  of  Conor's 
sword  cut  off  his  head,  carrying  it  shoreward  in  his  hand, 
while  the  body  floated  down  the  current.  Behind  him 
he  heard  the  cry  of  their  mother,  the  wife  of  Nechtan, 
when  she  saw  her  three  sons  slain.  Then  Cuchulain  sent 
her  out  of  the  fort,  and  he  and  his  charioteer  went  up  and 
harried  it,  and  set  it  all  in  flames  ;  for  an  evil  and  a  pirate 
fort  had  that  fort  been  to  Ulster,  bringing  many  of  their 
warriors  to  death,  and  spoiling  all  their  lands.  Then 
Cuchulain  and  Ivar  turned  to  retrace  their  steps,  carry- 
ing in  their  hands  the  heads  of  Nechtan's  sons.  They 
put  their  spoils  and  the  three  heads  into  the  chariot, 
sticking  the  dripping  heads  upon  the  chariot-pole  that 


Cuchulain's  First  Feats  53 

passed  out  behind,  and  set  out  in  triumph  towards  Emain 
and  the  palace  of  the  King. 

"  You  promised  us  a  good  run  to-day,"  said  Cuchu- 
lain  to  the  charioteer,  "  and  we  need  it  now  after  the 
contest  we  have  made ;  away  with  us  across  Moy  Bray, 
and  round  the  mountain  of  Slieve  Fuad."  Then  Ivar 
spurred  the  horses  forward  with  his  goad,  and  so  fast  did 
they  race  onward  that  they  outstripped  the  wind  in 
speed,  and  left  the  flying  birds  behind  them.  To  while 
away  the  time,  Cuchulain  sent  stones  speeding  before 
him  from  his  sling ;  before  the  stone  could  reach  the 
ground,  the  chariot  had  caught  it  up  and  it  fell  again 
into  the  chariot  floor. 

At  the  foot  of  Slieve  Fuad  a  herd  of  antlered  deer  were 
feeding  beside  a  wood.  Never  before  had  Cuchulain 
seen  a  herd  of  deer ;  he  marvelled  at  their  branching 
antlers,  and  at  the  speed  and  lightness  with  which  they 
moved  from  place  to  place.  "  What  is  that  great  flock 
of  active  cattle  yonder  ?  "  enquired  the  boy.  "  Those 
are  not  cattle,  but  a  herd  of  wild  deer  that  wander  in  the 
dark  recesses  of  the  hills, ' '  replied  the  charioteer.  '  'Which 
would  the  men  of  Ulster  think  the  greatest  feat,  to  capture 
one  dead  or  to  bring  one  home  alive  ?  "  "  Assuredly  to 
capture  one  alive,"  said  Ivar.  "  Dead  everyone  could 
bring  one  down,  but  seldom  indeed  can  one  be  captured 
alive."  "  Goad  on  the  horses,"  said  the  lad ;  and  this  the 
driver  did,  but  the  fat  horses  of  the  King,  unused  to  such 
a  drive  and  rate  of  motion  as  they  had  had  that  day, 
turned  restive  and  plunged  into  the  bog,  where  they 
stuck  fast.  Eagerly  Cuchulain  sprang  down,  and  leaving 
the  charioteer  to  struggle  with  the  horses,  he  set  off 
after  the  flying  deer,  and  by  sheer  running  came  up  to 
them,  caught  two  of  the  largest  stags  by  the  horns,  and 


54  Cuchulain 

with  thongs  and  ropes  bound  them  behind  the  chariot 
between  the  poles. 

Again,  on  their  way  to  Emain,  a  flock  of  swans  passed 
overhead,  flying  before  them.  "  What  birds  are  those  ?  " 
enquired  the  boy.  "  Are  they  tame  birds  or  wild  ?  " 
"  Those  are  wild  swans,"  said  Ivar,  "  that  fly  inland 
from  the  rocks  and  islands  of  the  sea  to  feed."  "  Would 
the  Ulstermen  think  better  of  me  if  I  brought  them  in 
dead  or  if  I  captured  them  alive  ?  "  again  enquired  the 
boy.     "  Assuredly  to  bring  them  down  alive." 

Then  Cuchulain  took  his  sling  and  with  a  well-aimed 
shot  he  brought  down  one  or  two  of  the  swans.  Again 
and  again  he  aimed  until  several  of  the  birds  were  lying 
on  the  path  before  them.  "  Ivar,  go  you  and  fetch  the 
birds  alive,"  said  the  boy. 

"  It  is  not  easy  for  me  to  do  that,"  he  said.  "  The  horses 
are  become  wild  and  I  cannot  leave  them  or  leap  out  in 
front  of  them.  If  then  I  try  to  get  out  at  the  side,  I  shall 
be  cut  to  pieces  with  the  sharp  rims  of  the  chariot-wheels  ; 
if  I  get  out  behind,  the  stags  will  gore  me  with  their 
horns."  "  That  is  not  a  warrior's  speech,  but  the  speech 
of  a  coward,"  said  the  lad.  "  But  come  now,  step  out 
fearlessly  upon  the  antler  of  the  deer,  for  I  will  bend  my 
eye  on  him,  so  that  he  will  not  stir  or  harm  you,  nor  will 
the  horses  move  when  I  have  overlooked  them."  This 
then  was  done.  Cuchulain  held  the  reins,  while  Ivar 
got  out  and  collected  the  fallen  birds.  With  long 
cords  the  birds  were  fastened  to  the  chariot,  and  thus 
they  went  on  to  Emain,  with  the  wild  stags  running 
behind  the  chariot,  and  the  flock  of  birds  flying  over  it, 
and  on  the  poles  the  bleeding  heads  of  the  three  sons  of 
Nechtan  the  Mighty. 

On  the  walls  of  Emain  a  watchman  was  at  the  look- 


Cuctmlain's  First  Feats  55 

out  post.  "  A  solitary  warrior  draws  near  to  thee,  O 
Conor,  and  terribly  he  comes  !  Upon  the  chariot  pole 
are  bleeding  heads  ;  white  birds  are  flying  round  the  car, 
and  wild  unbroken  stags  are  tethered  fast  behind. 
Wildly  and  with  fury  he  draws  near,  and  unless  some 
means  be  taken  to  abate  his  rage,  the  young  men  of 
Emain's  fort  will  perish  by  his  hand." 

"  Warriors  will  not  stay  his  hand.  I  know  that  little 
boy ;  it  is  my  foster-son,  who  on  this  day  has  taken  arms 
and  made  his  first  champion-raid.  But  before  women  he 
is  ever  courteous  and  modest ;  let  then  the  women-folk 
of  Emain's  fort,  and  our  noble  wives,  go  forth  to  meet 
him,  for  that  will  tame  his  rage."  So  the  champion's 
wives  and  the  women  of  Emain  went  out  in  a  troop  to 
meet  him,  and  when  he  saw  them  come,  the  fury  of  war 
passed  from  Cuchulain,  and  he  leaned  his  head  upon  the 
chariot-rail,  that  they  might  not  see  the  battle  rage  that 
was  upon  his  face.  For  in  the  presence  of  women 
Cuchulain  was  ever  calm  and  gentle-mannered. 

Yet  so  warm  and  ardent  was  he  from  his  warrior-raid, 
that  the  champions  of  Ulster  bathed  him  in  three  baths 
of  cold  water  before  his  heat  and  travel-stains  were 
passed  away  from  him.  And  the  water  of  the  baths  was 
heated  fiery-hot  by  his  plunge  into  it.  But  when  he 
was  washed,  and  arrayed  in  his  hooded  tunic  and  mantle 
of  bright  blue,  fastened  with  its  silver  brooch,  the  little 
man's  fury  had  all  gone  from  him  ;  he  blushed  a  beautiful 
ruddy  hue  all  over,  and  with  eyes  sparkling,  and  his 
golden  hair  combed  back,  he  came  to  take  his  place 
beside  the  King.  And  Conor  was  proud  of  the  boy,  and 
drew  him  between  his  knees  and  stroked  his  hair  ;  and 
his  place  was  ever  beside  the  King  after  that. 
-    Now  a  little   boy  that  at  the  age  of   seven  years — 


56 


Cuchulain 


continued  Fiacha,  who  told  the  tale — could  kill  a  man, 
yea,  two  or  three  men,  whom  all  the  champions  of  Ulster 
feared,  and  who  could  do  such  deeds,  it  were  not  wonderful 
if,  in  your  war  with  Ulster,  O  Queen  Meave,  he  should 
prove  a  formidable  foe. 

And  Meave  said  thoughtfully,  "  It  were  not  wonderful 
indeed." 

Then  the  company  broke  up,  preparing  for  the 
march  upon  the  morrow.  But  that  night  Meave  said 
to  her  spouse  :  "I  think,  O  Ailill,  that  this  young 
champion  of  Ulster  is  not  of  the  make  of  mortal 
men,  nor  is  he  quite  as  other  champions.  And  though 
our  host  is  good  and  sufficient  for  ordinary  war,  to 
meet  a  foe  like  this,  it  seems  to  me  that  a  great  and 
mighty  force  is  needed  ;  for  I  am  of  opinion  that  the 
war  on  which  we  are  now  come  will  not  be  a  battle  of  a 
night  or  a  day,  but  that  it  will  be  a  campaign  of  many 
days  and  weeks  and  months  against  that  lad.  Therefore, 
at  this  time,  let  us  return  home  again,  and  when  a  year 
or  two  is  out,  I  shall  have  gathered  such  a  host  that  the 
gods  themselves  could  not  withstand  it."  Thus  Meave 
spoke  boastfully,  and  Ailill  was  well  content,  for  he  liked 
not  the  war.    So  for  that  time,  they  all  turned  home  again. 


CHAPTER  VII 
Cuchulain's  Adventures  in  Shadow-Land 

WHILE  Cuchulain  was  still  a  little  lad,  but 
strong  and  brave  and  full  of  spirit,  it  came 
into  his  mind  that  he  would  like  to  go 
out  into  the  world  to  perfect  himself  in  every  kind  of 
soldierly  art,  so  that  he  might  not  be  behind  any  warrior 
in  feats  of  strength  and  skill.  He  went  first  to  the  Glen 
of  Solitude  in  Munster,  but  he  did  not  long  remain  there, 
but  returned  to  Ulster,  to  invite  his  companions  to  go 
with  him  to  visit  the  woman-warrior  Scdth  who  dwelt 
in  "  Shadow-land."  Where  the  land  was,  Cuchulain 
knew  not,  but  he  thought  it  was  in  Alba,  or  mayhap  in 
the  Eastern  world. 

Three  of  the  chiefs  of  Ulster  consented  to  go  with  him, 
Conall,  whom  men  in  after  days  called  The  Victorious, 
because  of  his  many  combats,  and  Laery  the  Triumphant, 
and  Conor,  Ulster's  king.  Conall  was  close  friend  to 
Cuchulain,  and  they  had  vowed  to  each  other  while  yet 
they  were  but  boys,  that  whichever  of  the  two  of  them 
should  first  fall  in  battle  or  single  combat,  the  other 
would  avenge  his  death,  whether  he  were  at  that  time 
near  at  hand  or  far  across  the  world  in  distant  climes. 
And  though  Cuchulain  was  the  younger,  he  it  was  who 
first  fell,  and  Conall  avenged  his  death  in  the  Red  Rout, 
as  we  shall  hear.  He  was  a  great  wanderer,  and  he  was 
far  away  across  the  seas  when  Cuchulain  fell,  but  for  all 

67 


58 


Cuchulain 


that  his  promise  held  him,  and  his  love  for  his  friend, 
and  amply  and  fully  he  avenged  him  on  his  foes. 

Then  these  three  friends  set  out  together  in  Conall's 
boat  the  "  Bird-like,"  which  needed  not  to  be  guided  or 
rowed,  but  which  sped  at  its  own  will  across  the  deep- 
green,  strong-waved  ocean,  like  the  winging  flight  of  a 
swift  bird.  It  took  its  own  way  to  strange  lands,  where 
none  of  those  who  travelled  in  the  boat  had  ever  been 
before,  and  they  came  at  last  to  a  dark  gloomy  shore 
where  dwelt  a  fierce  woman-warrior,  Donnell  the 
Soldierly,  and  her  daughter,  Big-fist. 

Huge  and  ugly  and  gruesome  were  they  both,  with  big 
grey  eyes,  and  black  faces  and  rough  bright-red  hair, 
and  so  cruel  and  vengeful  were  they  that  it  was  dangerous 
to  quarrel  with  either  of  them.  Yet  they  knew  many 
feats  of  arms,  so  that  the  three  warriors  stayed  with 
them  a  year  and  a  day,  learning  all  they  knew.  But 
Cuchulain  was  fain  to  go  away  from  them,  for  the  dark- 
ness and  the  gloom  of  the  place  and  the  ugly  deeds  of 
Big-fist  troubled  him,  and  he  liked  not  at  all  to  remain 
with  her. 

The  year  and  the  day  being  past,  Cuchulain  was 
walking  by  the  brink  of  the  sea  revolving  these  things 
in  his  mind,  when  he  saw  close  beside  him,  sitting  on  the 
shore,  a  man  of  enormous  size,  every  inch  of  him  from 
top  to  toe  as  black  as  coal.  "  What  are  you  doing 
here  ?  "  said  the  big  black  man  to  Cuchulain.  "  I  have 
been  here  a  year  and  a  day  learning  feats  of  prowess  and 
heroism  from  Donnell,"  said  the  little  lad.  "  How  so  ?  " 
said  the  big  black  man.  "  If  you  want  to  learn  true 
knightly  skill  and  feats  of  valour,  it  is  not  here  that  you 
will  learn  them."  "  Is  that  true  ?  "  said  Cuchulain.  "  It 
is  true,  indeed,"  said  the  big  black  man.    "  Is  there  any 


Cuchulain  in  Shadow-Land        59 

woman-champion  in  the  world  who  is  better  than  the 
woman-champion  that  is  here  ?  "  said  Cuchulain. 
"  There  is  indeed,"  said  the  big  black  man  ;  "  far  better 
than  she  is  Scath,  daughter  of  Ages,  King  of  Shadow- 
land,  who  dwells  in  the  Eastern  world."  "  We  have 
heard  of  her  before,"  said  Cuchulain.  "  I  am  sure  you 
have,"  said  the  big  black  man  ;  "  but  great  and  distant  is 
the  region  of  Shadow-land,  little  man."  "  Will  you  tell 
me  all  about  it,  and  where  it  is,  and  how  to  find  it  ?  " 
said  Cuchulain,  eagerly.  "  Never  will  I  tell  you  a  word 
about  it  to  the  end  of  time,"  said  the  black  man  surlily. 
"  O  hateful,  withered  spectre,  now  may  knowledge  and 
help  fail  you  yourself,  when  most  you  stand  in  need  of 
them,"  cried  the  boy,  and  with  that  the  phantom  dis- 
appeared. 

Cuchulain  did  not  sleep  a  wink  that  night  thinking  of 
the  great  far-distant  country  of  which  the  big  black  man 
had  told  him  ;  and  at  break  of  day  on  the  morrow  he 
sprang  from  his  bed  and  sought  his  companions,  Conor 
and  Conall  and  Laery.  "  Will  you  come  with  me  to  seek 
for  Shadow-land  ?  "  he  asked,  when  he  had  told  them  the 
tale  of  the  big  black  man.  "  We  will  not  come,"  said 
they,  "  for  last  night  a  vision  appeared  to  each  of  us, 
and  we  could  not  put  it  away  from  us.  We  saw  before  us 
our  own  homes,  and  the  kingly  courts  of  Emain  Macha 
standing  right  before  us  in  the  way,  and  we  heard  the 
voices  of  our  wives  weeping  for  our  absence,  and  the  call 
of  our  clans  and  warriors  for  their  chiefs  ;  therefore  to-day 
we  bid  you  farewell,  for  we  return  together  to  our  homes, 
But  go  you  on  to  Shadow-land  and  perfect  yourself 
in  feats  with  Scath,  daughter  of  Ages,  and  then  return 
to  us."  It  seemed  to  Cuchulain  that  it  was  the  big 
black  man  who  had  raised  this  vision  before  the  chiefs, 


6o  Cuchulain 

that  they  might  separate  themselves  from  him,  so  that 
he  might  find  his  death  travelling  to  Shadow-land  alone. 
So  he  bid  the  chiefs  farewell  with  a  heavy  heart,  and  they 
set  off  for  Erin  in  Conall's  boat,  the  "  Bird-like  ;  "  and 
as  soon  as  it  was  out  of  sight,  speeding  over  the  waves  of 
the  blue,  surging  ocean,  Cuchulain  set  out  alone  along 
the  unknown  road.  For  he  was  determined  to  reach 
Shadow-land,  or  to  die  in  the  attempt.  He  went  oh 
for  many  days  over  great  mountains  and  through  deep 
impenetrable  forests,  and  dark,  lonely  glens,  until  he 
came  to  a  wide-spreading  desert  and  a  lightless  land. 
Black  and  scorched  and  bare  was  that  desert,  and  there 
was  no  path  or  road  across  it,  and  no  human  habitation 
was  in  sight.  Cuchulain  stood  wondering  and  fearing  to 
adventure  forth  alone  across  that  terrible  stony  trackless 
waste,  for  he  knew  not  whither  to  turn,  or  how  to  go. 
Just  then  he  saw  a  great  beast  like  a  lion  coming  out  of 
the  forest  on  the  border  of  the  desert,  and  advancing 
towards  him,  watching  him  all  the  time.  Now  Cuchu- 
lain was  but  a  little  lad,  and  he  had  no  weapons  with  him, 
and  he  was  afraid  of  the  mighty  beast  and  tried  to 
escape  from  him  ;  but  whichever  way  he  turned,  the 
beast  was  there  before  him,  and  it  seemed  to  Cuchulain 
that  it  was  a  friendly  beast,  for  it  made  no  attempt  to 
injure  him,  but  kept  turning  its  side  to  Cuchulain,  invit- 
ing him  to  mount.  So  Cuchulain  plucked  up  his  courage 
and  took  a  leap  and  was  on  its  back.  He  did  not  try 
to  guide  it,  for  of  its  own  accord  the  lion  made  off  across 
the  plain,  and  for  four  days  and  nights  they  travelled 
thus  through  the  dim,  lightless  land  until  Cuchulain 
thought  they  must  have  come  to  the  uttermost  bounds 
of  men.  But  they  saw  a  small  loch  and  a  boat  on  it,  and 
boys  rowing  the  boat  backward  and  forward  amongst 


Cuchulain  in  Shadow-Land       61 

the  reeds  of  the  shore,  and  the  boys  laughed  at  the  sight 
of  the  hurtful  beast  doing  service  to  a  human  being. 
Then  Cuchulain  jumped  off  the  back  of  the  lion  and  he 
bade  it  farewell  and  it  departed  from  him. 

The  boys  rowed  him  across  the  loch  to  a  house  where 
he  got  meat  and  drink,  and  a  young  man  with  a  face 
bright  like  the  sun  conducted  him  on  his  way  until  he 
came  to  the  Plain  of  Ill-luck,  and  there  he  left  him. 
Difficult  and  toilsome  was  the  journey  across  the  Plain 
of  Ill-luck  ;  on  one  half  of  the  plain  the  feet  of  the  way- 
farer would  stick  fast  in  the  miry  clay,  so  that  he  could 
not  move  on,  but  thought  he  would  sink  into  the  earth 
at  every  step  ;  and  on  the  other  half  of  the  plain  the  grass 
would  rise  up  beneath  his  feet  and  lift  him  up  far  above 
the  ground  upon  its  blades,  so  that  he  seemed  to  be 
walking  in  the  air. 

No  road  or  comfortable  way  ran  across  that  plain,  and 
Cuchulain  could  not  have  made  his  way  across,  but  that 
the  young  man  with  the  face  like  the  sun  had  given  him  a 
wheel  to  roll  before  him,  and  told  him  to  follow  wherever 
the  wheel  led.  So  he  rolled  the  wheel,  and  bright  shining 
rays  darted  out  of  the  wheel  and  lighted  up  all  the  land. 
The  heat  that  came  out  of  the  wheel  dried  up  the  clay, 
so  that  it  became  hard  and  firm  to  walk  upon,  and  it 
burned  up  the  grass,  so  that  it  made  a  clear  path  before 
Cuchulain  all  the  way.  And  the  noisome  evil  airs  of  the 
plain  were  sucked  up  by  the  heat  and  sunshine  of  the 
wheel,  so  that  Cuchulain  went  on  gladly  and  cheerfully 
until  he  came  to  the  Perilous  Glen.  Then  Cuchulain  was 
afraid  again,  for  he  saw  before  him  a  narrow  glen  between 
high  rocky  mountain  fastnesses,  and  only  one  road 
through  it,  and  that  as  narrow  as  a  hair.  And  on  either 
side  of  the  road  and  among  the  rocks  were  cruel  savage 


62  Cuchulain 

monsters  waiting  to  devour  him.  But  the  youth  with 
the  shining  face  had  given  him  an  apple,  and  he  rolled 
the  apple  before  him  as  he  went  along,  and  when  the 
monsters  saw  the  apple,  they  ceased  watching  Cuchu- 
lain and  sprang  after  the  apple.  But  the  apple  ran  on 
and  on,  so  that  they  could  not  come  up  with  it,  and  as 
it  ran  the  narrow  path  grew  wider,  so  that  Cuchulain 
could  follow  it  with  ease.  By  that  means  he  passed  the 
Perilous  Glen,  and  he  took  the  road  that  led  across  the 
terrible  high  mountains,  until  he  came  to  the  Bridge  of 
the  Leaps.  And  on  the  other  side  of  the  bridge  was  the 
isle  where  Scath  or  Shadow,  daughter  of  Ages,  lived. 

Now  this  is  how  the  Bridge  of  the  Leaps  was  made.  It 
was  low  at  the  two  ends,  but  high  in  the  middle,  and  it 
passed  over  a  deep  and  precipitous  gorge,  up  which  came 
foaming  the  waters  of  the  wild  tempestuous  ocean.  And 
fearful  strange  beasts  and  fishes  were  moving  about  in  the 
waters  below,  which  made  a  man's  heart  quail  with  fear 
to  look  upon,  for  it  was  certain  that  if  he  should  fall, 
they  would  seize  him  in  their  jaws  and  devour  him. 

On  the  near  side  of  the  bridge  were  many  youths 
playing  hurley  on  the  green,  and  Cuchulain  saw  amongst 
them  champions  from  Ulster,  Ferdia,  son  of  Daman,  and 
the  sons  of  Naisi,  and  many  others.  They  greeted  him 
kindly  and  gladly,  and  they  asked  news  of  Ulster  and  of 
their  friends  and  companions  in  Erin  ;  and  Cuchulain  was 
glad  to  see  the  faces  of  his  friends,  for  he  was  weary  and 
fatigued  after  his  journey  and  after  the  terrors  of  the  way 
across  the  Plain  of  Ill-luck  and  the  Perilous  Glen.  Then 
Cuchulain  asked  Ferdia,  for  he  was  older  than  he, 
"  How  shall  I  get  across  the  Bridge  of  the  Leaps,  to  reach 
the  fort  of  Scath  ?  "  "  You  cannot  cross  it,"  said  he ; 
"  for  this  is  the  manner  of  that  bridge  ;    when  anyone 


Cuehulain  in  Shadow-Land        63 

steps  on  one  end  of  the  bridge  the  other  end  leaps  up, 
and  flings  the  passenger  off  again  upon  his  back.  Not 
one  of  us  has  crossed  the  bridge  as  yet,  for  there 
are  two  feats  that  Scath  teaches  last  of  all,  the  leap 
of  the  Bridge,  and  the  thrust  of  the  spear  that  is 
called  the  Body  Spear,  which  moves  along  the  water. 
When  we  have  achieved  valour,  she  will  teach  us  the 
leap  of  the  Bridge,  but  the  thrust  of  the  Body  Spear  she 
will  not  teach  to  any  man  of  us  at  all,  for  she  reserves 
that  feat  for  the  champion  who  excels  in  all  other  feats, 
and  who  is,  out  of  all  her  pupils,  the  one  whom  she  likes 
best. 

"  Tell  me,  O  Ferdia,  how  Shadow  herself  crosses  the 
bridge  when  she  comes  to  teach  you  feats,"  said 
Cuehulain.  "  Only  by  two  leaps  can  that  bridge  be 
crossed,"  they  all  reply  ;  "  that  is,  one  leap  into  the  very 
centre  of  the  bridge,  and  one  upon  the  firm  ground 
beyond  ;  but  if  the  leap  is  missed,  it  is  likely  that  the 
passer-by  will  fall  into  the  gulf  below,  and  woe  to  him 
if  he  should  fall."  Then  Cuehulain  looked  at  the  bridge 
and  he  looked  at  the  foaming  gorge  below,  and  at  the 
open-mouthed  monsters  in  the  tossing  waves,  and  he 
waited  awhile  until  his  strength  was  returned.  But 
as  evening  fell  he  rose,  and  gathering  all  his  forces  to- 
gether, he  leaped  upon  the  bridge.  Three  times  he  tried 
to  cross  it,  and  three  times  it  flung  him  again  upon  the 
bank,  so  that  he  fell  upon  his  back  ;  and  the  young  men 
jeered  at  him,because  he  tried  to  cross  the  bridge  without 
Scath's  help.  Then  Cuehulain  grew  mad  with  anger, 
and  he  leaped  at  one  bound  upon  the  very  centre  and 
ridge  of  the  bridge.  Here  he  rested  a  moment,  and  then 
he  leaped  again,  and  he  gained  the  firm  ground  on  the 
further  side,  and  he  strode  straight  up  to  the  fort  of 


64 


Cuchulain 


Shadow,  and  struck  three  thunderous  knocks  upon  the 
door. 

"  Truly,"  said  Scath,  "  this  must  be  someone  who 
has  achieved  valour  somewhere  else,"  and  she  sent 
Uthach  the  Fearful,  her  daughter,  to  bring  him  in,  and 
welcome  him  to  the  fort. 

For  a  year  and  a  day  he  remained  with  Scath,  and 
learned  all  that  she  could  teach  him,  and  he  became 
the  most  renowned  warrior  of  his  time,  or  of  any  other 
time ;  and  because  Shadow  loved  his  skill  and  his 
strength  and  comeliness,  she  taught  him  the  feat  of  the 
Body  Spear,  which  she  had  never  taught  to  any  before. 
And  she  gave  the  spear  into  his  own  keeping.  When 
Ferdia  saw  the  spear,  he  said,  "  O  Scath,  teach  me  also 
this  feat,  for  the  day  will  come  when  I  shall  have  need 
of  it."  But  she  would  not,  for  she  wished  to  make 
Cuchulain  invincible,  and  that  he  should  have  one  feat 
that  was  not  known  to  any  but  himself.  And  she  gave 
him  the  Helmet  of  Invisibility,  which  Manannan  mac 
Lir,  the  ocean  god,  brought  out  of  Fairy-land ;  and  the 
mantle  of  Invisibility  made  of  the  precious  fleeces  from  the 
land  of  the  Immortals,  even  from  the  Kingdom  of  Clear 
Shining;  and  she  gave  him  his  glorious  shield,  with  knobs 
of  gold,  and  chased  all  round  with  carvings  of  animals, 
and  the  combats  of  fighting  men,  and  the  sea-wars  of 
the  gods.  And  he  became  companion  and  arms-bearer 
to  Ferdia,  because  he  was  the  younger  and  because  they 
loved  each  other,  and  all  the  time  he  was  with  Scath 
they  went  together  into  every  danger,  and  every  peril, 
and  they  took  journeys  together,  and  saw  strange 
sights.  And  because  the  twain  loved  each  other,  they 
swore  that  never  in  life  would  either  hurt,  or  wound  the 
other,  or  do  combat  or  quarrel  with  the  other,  but  that 


Cuchulain  in  Shadow-Land       65 

for  ever  and  for  ever  they  twain  would  aid  and  support 
each  other  in  war  and  in  combat,  and  in  all  the  pleasant 
loving  ways  of  peace.  But  Scath  knew  that  other  days 
were  coming,  for  she  was  a  seer,  and  when  Cuchulain 
bade  her  farewell,  to  return  to  Ireland,  she  spoke  to  him 
these  words  out  of  her  prophet's  shining  ken  :  "  Blessing 
and  health  go  with  thee  !  Victorious  Hero,  Champion 
of  the  Kine  of  Bray  !  Chariot  Chief  of  the  two-horsed 
chariot !  Beloved  Hero  of  the  gods  !  Perils  await  thee  ; 
alone  before  the  foe  I  see  thee  stand,  righting  against 
a  multitude,  fighting  thy  own  companion  and  friend. 
Red  from  many  conflicts  are  thy  warrior  weapons ; 
by  thee  men  and  champions  will  fall ;  the  warriors  of 
Connaught  and  of  Meave,  the  hosts  of  Ailill  and  of 
Fergus  scatter  before  thy  sword.  The  Hound  of  Ulster 
will  be  renowned.  At  his  death  will  the  glory  of  Ulster 
fail,  the  glory  of  Erin  will  depart  from  her.  .  .  .  Farewell, 
farewell,  Cuchulain." 

Then  Cuchulain  parted  from  her,  and  turned  to  go 
back  to  Erin,  and  a  magic  mist  overtook  him  so  that  he 
knew  not  how  he  went,  or  by  what  road  he  came  to  the 
borders  of  the  white -necked,  green- waved  ocean,  but  he 
found  Manannan's  horses  of  the  white  sea- foam  awaiting 
him  near  the  shore  upon  the  surface  of  the  mighty 
main,  and  he  caught  their  tossing  white-tipped  manes 
and  they  bore  him  out  across  the  waves,  and  so  he  came 
to  Ireland  again.  It  was  on  the  night  of  his  return 
that  he  found  and  caught  his  two  chariot  horses,  the 
Grey  of  Macha,  and  the  Black  Steed  of  the  Glen,  and  this 
is  how  he  caught  them.  He  was  passing  along  the 
borders  of  the  Grey  Lake  that  is  near  the  Mountain  of 
Slieve  Fuad,  pondering  on  the  fate  that  was  before  him, 
and  the  work  that  he  would  do.     Slowly  he  walked 


66  Cuchulain 

along  the  reedy,  marshy  ground  that  lay  along  the  lake, 
till  he  saw  a  mist  rise  slowly  from  the  mere  and  cover  all 
the  plain.  Then,  as  he  stood  to  watch,  he  saw  the  form 
of  a  mighty  steed,  grey  and  weird  and  phantom-like, 
rise  slowly  from  the  centre  of  the  lake,  and  draw  near 
to  the  shore,  until  it  stood  with  its  back  to  him  among  the 
rushes  of  the  water's  edge.  Softly  Cuchulain  crept 
down  behind  the  steed ;  but  it  seemed  not  to  hear 
him  come,  for  it  was  looking  out  towards  the  centre  of 
the  lake.  Then  with  a  sudden  leap,  Cuchulain  was  on 
its  neck,  his  two  arms  clasped  upon  its  mane.  When  it 
felt  the  rider  on  its  back,  the  noble  animal  shuddered  from 
head  to  foot,  and  started  back  and  tried  to  throw  Cuchu- 
lain, but  with  all  his  might  he  clung  and  would  not  be 
thrown.  Then  began  a  struggle  of  champions  between 
those  two  heroes,  the  King  of  the  Heroes  of  Erin  and  the 
King  of  Erin's  Steeds.  All  night  they  wrestled,  and  the 
prancing  of  the  steed  was  heard  at  Emain  Macha,  so 
that  the  warriors  said  it  thundered,  and  that  a  great 
storm  of  wind  had  arisen  without.  But  when  it  could  by 
no  means  throw  Cuchulain  from  its  back,  the  horse  began 
to  career  and  course  round  the  island,  and  that  night  they 
fled  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind  three  times  round  all 
the  provinces  of  Ireland.  With  a  bound  the  wild  steed 
leaped  the  mountains,  and  the  sound  of  its  coursing 
over  the  plains  was  as  the  break  of  the  tempestuous  surf 
upon  the  shore.  Once  only  did  they  halt  in  their  career, 
and  that  was  in  the  wild  and  lonely  glen  in  Donegal  that 
is  called  the  Black  Glen,  where  the  ocean  waves  roll 
inward  to  the  land.  From  out  the  waters  arose  another 
steed,  as  black  as  night,  and  it  whinneyed  to  the  Grey 
of  Macha,  so  that  the  Grey  of  Macha  stopped,  and  the 
Black  Steed  of  the  Glen  came  up  beside  it,  and  trotted 


Cuchulain  in  Shadow-Land        67 

by  its  side.  Then  the  fury  of  the  Grey  of  Macha  ceased, 
and  Cuchulain  could  feel  beneath  his  hand  that  the  two 
horses  were  obedient  to  his  will.  And  he  brought  them 
home  to  Emain  and  harnessed  them  to  his  chariot,  and 
all  the  men  of  Ulster  marvelled  at  the  splendour  of  those 
steeds,  which  were  like  night  and  day,  the  dark  steed  and 
the  light,  and  one  of  them  they  called  the  Grey  of  Macha, 
because  Macha  was  the  goddess  of  war  and  combat,  and 
the  other  they  called  the  Black  Steed  of  the  Glen. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
How  Cuchulain  Wooed  his  Wife 

IT  was  on  a  day  of  the  days  of  summer  that  Emer, 
daughter  of  Forgall  the  Wily,  sat  on  a  bench  before 
her  father's  door,  at  his  fort  that  is  called  Lusk 
to-day,  but  which  in  olden  days  men  spoke  of  as  the 
Gardens  of  the  Sun-god  Lugh,  so  sunny  and  so  fair  and 
fertile  was  that  plain,  with  waving  meadow-grass  and 
buttercups,  and  the  sweet  may-blossom  girdling  the 
fields.  Close  all  about  the  fort  the  gardens  lay,  with 
apple-trees  shedding  their  pink  and  white  upon  the  play- 
ing fields  of  brilliant  green  ;  and  all  the  air  was  noisy 
with  the  buzz  of  bees,  and  with  the  happy  piping  of  the 
thrush  and  soft  low  cooing  of  the  doves.  And  Emer 
sat,  a  fair  and  noble  maid,  among  her  young  companions, 
foster-sisters  of  her  own,  who  came  from  all  the  farms 
and  forts  around  to  grow  up  with  the  daughters  of  the 
house,  and  learn  from  them  high-bred  and  gentle  ways, 
to  fashion  rich  embroideries  such  as  Irish  women  used  to 
practise  as  an  art,  and  weaving,  and  fine  needlework, 
and  all  the  ways  of  managing  a  house.  And  as  they  sat 
round  Emer,  a  bright  comely  group  of  busy  girls,  they 
sang  in  undertones  the  crooning  tender  melodies  of 
ancient  Erin  ;  or  one  would  tell  a  tale  of  early  wars, 
and  warrior  feasts  or  happenings  of  the  gods,  and  one 
would  tell  a  tale  of  lover's  joys  or  of  the  sorrows  of 
a   blighted   love,  and  they  would  sigh  and  laugh  and 


Cuchulain's  Wooing  69 

dream  that  they  too  loved,  were  wooed,  and  lost  their 
loves. 
Ny  And  Emer  moved  about  among  the  girls,  directing 
them ;  and  of  all  maids  in  Erin,  Emer  was  the  best,  for 
hers  were  the  six  gifts  of  womanhood,  the  gift  of  loveli- 
ness, the  gift  of  song,  the  gift  of  sweet  and  pleasant 
speech,  the  gift  of  handiwork,  the  gifts  of  wisdom  and  of 
modesty.x''And  in  his  distant  home  in  Ulster,  Cuchulain 
heard  of  her.  For  he  was  young  and  brave,  and  women 
loved  him  for  his  nobleness,  and  all  men  wished  that  he 
should  take  a  wife.  But  for  awhile  he  would  not,  for 
among  the  women  whom  he  saw,  not  one  of  them  came  up 
to  his  desires.  And  when  they  urged  him,  wilfully  he 
said  :  "  Well,  find  for  me  a  woman  I  could  love,  and  I  will 
marry  her."  Then  sent  the  King  his  heralds  out  through 
every  part  of  Ulster  and  the  south  to  seek  a  wife  whom 
Cuchulain  would  care  to  woo.  But  still  he  said  the  same, 
"  This  one,  and  this,  has  some  bad  temper  or  some  want 
of  grace,  or  she  is  vain  or  she  is  weak,  not  fitted  as  a  mate 
to  such  as  I.  She  must  be  brave,  for  she  must  suffer 
much  ;  she  must  be  gentle,  lest  I  anger  her  ;  she  must 
be  fair  and  noble,  not  alone  to  give  me  pleasure  as  her 
spouse,  but  that  all  men  may  think  of  her  with  pride, 
saying,  '  As  Cuchulain  is  the  first  of  Ulster's  braves, 
the  hero  of  her  many  fighting-fields,  so  is  his  wife  the 
noblest  and  the  first  of  Erin's  women,  a  worthy  mate  for 
him.'  " 

So  when  the  princely  messengers  returned,  their  search 
was  vain  ;  among  the  daughters  of  the  chiefs  and  noble 
lords  not  one  was  found  whom  Cuchulain  cared  to  woo. 
But  one  who  loved  him  told  him  of  a  night  he  spent  in 
Forgall's  fort,  and  of  the  loveliness  and  noble  spirit  of 
Forgall's  second  girl  Emer,  the  maiden  of  the  waving 


jo  Cuchulain 

hair,  but  just  grown  up  to  womanhood.  He  told  him 
of  her  noble  mien  and  stately  step,  the  soft  and  liquid 
brightness  of  her  eyes,  the  colour  of  her  hair,  that  like 
to  ruddy  gold  fresh  from  the  burnishing,  was  rolled 
around  her  head.  Her  graceful  form  he  praised,  her  skil- 
fulness  in  song  and  handiwork,  her  courage  with  her 
father,  a  harsh  and  wily  man,  whom  all  within  the  house 
hated  and  feared  but  she.  He  told  him  also  that  for  any 
man  to  win  the  maiden  for  his  wife  would  be  a  trouble- 
some and  dangerous  thing,  for  out  of  all  the  world, 
her  father  Forgall  loved  and  prized  but  her,  and  he  had 
made  it  known  that  none  beneath  a  king  or  ruling  prince 
should  marry  her,  and  any  man  who  dared  to  win  her 
love,  but  such  as  these,  should  meet  a  cruel  death  ;  and 
this  he  laid  upon  his  sons  and  made  them  swear  to  him 
upon  their  swords,  that  any  who  should  come  to  woo 
the  girl  should  never  leave  the  fort  alive  again. 

All  that  they  said  but  made  Cuchulain  yet  the  more 
desire  to  see  the  maid  and  talk  with  her.  "  This  girl,  so 
brave,  so  wise,  so  fair  of  face  and  form,"  he  pondered 
with  himself,  "  would  be  a  fitting  mate  for  any  chief. 
I  think  she  is  the  fitting  mate  for  me." 

So  on  the  very  day  when  Emer  sat  upon  her  playing- 
fields,  Cuchulain  in  the  early  morn  set  forth  in  all  his 
festal  garb  in  his  chariot  with  his  prancing  steeds, 
with  Laeg  before  him  as  his  charioteer,  and  took  the 
shortest  route  towards  the  plain  of  Bray,  where  lie  the 
Gardens  of  the  Sun-god  Lugh.  The  way  they  went 
from  Emain  lay  between  the  Mountains  of  the  Wood, 
and  thence  along  the  High-road  of  the  Plain,  where  once 
the  sea  had  passed  ;  across  the  marsh  that  bore  the  name 
the  Whisper  of  the  Secret  of  the  Gods.  Then  driving  on 
towards  the  River  Boyne  they  passed  the  Ridge  of  the 


Cuchulain's  Wooing  71 

Great  Sow,  where  not  far  off  is  seen  the  fairy  haunt  of 
Angus,  God  of  Beauty  and  of  Youth  ;  and  so  they 
reached  the  ford  of  Washing  of  the  Horses  of  the 
Gods,  and  the  fair,  flowering  plains  of  Lugh,  called 
Lusk  to-day. 

Now  all  the  girls  were  busied  with  their  work,  when  on 
the  high-road  leading  to  the  fort  they  heard  a  sound 
like  thunder  from  the  north,  that  made  them  pause  and 
listen  in  surprise. 

Nearer  and  nearer  yet  it  came  as  though  at  furious 
pace  a  band  of  warriors  bore  down  towards  the 
house.  "  Let  one  of  you  see  from  the  ramparts  of  the 
fort,"  said  Emer,  "  what  is  the  sound  that  we  hear 
coming  towards  us."  Fiall,  her  sister,  ForgalPs  eldest 
girl,  ran  to  the  top  of  the  rath  or  earthen  mound  that- 
circled  round  the  playing-fields,  and  looked  out  to- 
wards the  north,  shading  her  eyes  against  the  brilliant 
sun.  "  What  do  you  see  there  ?  "  asked  they  all,  and 
eagerly  she  cried  :  "  I  see  a  splendid  chariot-chief  coming 
at  furious  pace  along  the  road.  Two  steeds,  like  day 
and  night,  of  equal  size  and  beauty,  come  thundering 
beneath  that  chariot  on  the  plain.  Curling  their  manes 
and  long,  and  as  they  come,  one  would  think  fire  darted 
from  their  curbed  jaws,  so  strain  and  bound  they  for- 
ward ;  high  in  the  air  the  turf  beneath  their  feet  is  thrown 
around  them,  as  though  a  flock  of  birds  were  following 
as  they  go.  On  the  right  side  the  horse  is  grey,  broad 
in  the  haunches,  active,  swift  and  wild  ;  with  head 
erect  and  breast  expanded,  madly  he  moves  along  the 
plain,  bounding  and  prancing  as  he  goes.  The  other 
horse  jet-black,  head  firmly  knit,  feet  broad-hoofed, 
firm,  and  slender ;  in  all  this  land  never  had  chariot- 
chief  such  steeds  as  these." 


72  Cuchulain 

41  Heed  not  the  steeds,"  the  girls  replied,  "  tell  us, 
for  this  concerns  us  most,  who  is  the  chariot-chief  who 
rides  within  ?  " 

"  Worthy  of  the  chariot  in  which  he  rides  is  he  who 
sits  within.  Youthful  he  seems,  as  standing  on  the  very 
borders  of  a  noble  manhood,  and  yet  I  think  his  face  and 
form  are  older  than  his  years.  Gravely  he  looks,  as 
though  his  mind  revolved  some  serious  thought,  and  yet 
a  radiance  as  of  the  summer's  day  enfolds  him  round. 
About  his  shoulders  a  rich  five-folded  mantle  hangs, 
caught  by  a  brooch  across  the  chest  sparkling  with 
precious  gems,  above  his  white  and  gold-embroidered 
shirt.  His  massive  sword  rests  on  his  thigh,  and  yet 
I  think  he  comes  not  here  to  fight.  Before  him  stands 
his  charioteer,  the  reins  held  firmly  in  his  hand,  urging 
the  horses  onward  with  a  goad." 

"  What  like  is  he,  the  charioteer  ?  "  demand  the  girls 
again. 

"A  ruddy  man  and  freckled,"  answered  Fiall ;  "his 
hair  is  very  curly  and  bright-red,  held  by  a  bronze  fillet 
across  his  brow,  and  caught  at  either  side  his  head  in 
little  cups  of  gold,  to  keep  the  locks  from  falling  on  his 
face.  A  light  cloak  on  his  shoulders,  made  with  open 
sleeves,  flies  back  in  the  wind,  as  rapidly  they  course 
along  the  plain."  But  Emer  heard  not  what  the  maiden 
said,  for  to  her  mind  there  came  the  memory  of  a  won- 
drous youth  whom  Ulster  loved  and  yet  of  whom  all 
Erin  stood  in  awe.  Great  warriors  spoke  of  him  in 
whispers  and  with  shaking  of  the  head.  They  told  how 
when  he  was  a  little  child,  he  fought  with  full-grown 
warriors  and  mastered  them  ;  of  a  huge  hound  that  he 
had  slain  and  many  feats  of  courage  he  had  done.  Into 
her  mind  there  came  a  memory,  that  she  had  heard  of 


Cuchulain's  Wooing  73 

prophets  who  foretold  for  him  a  strange  and  perilous 
career  ;  a  life  of  danger,  and  an  early  death.  Full  many 
a  time  she  longed  to  see  this  youth,  foredoomed  to  peril, 
yet  whose  praise  should  ring  from  age  to  age  through 
Erin  ;  and  in  her  mind,  when  all  alone  she  pondered  on 
these  things,  she  still  would  end  :  "  This  were  a  worthy 
mate  !  This  were  a  man  to  win  a  woman's  love  !  "  And 
half  aloud  she  uttered  the  old  words  :  "  This  were  a  man 
to  win  a  woman's  love  !  " 

Now  hardly  had  the  words  sprung  to  her  lips,  when  the 
chariot  stood  before  the  door,  close  to  the  place  where  all 
the  girls  were  gathered.  And  when  she  saw  him  Emer 
knew  it  was  the  man  of  whom  she  dreamed.  He  wished 
a  blessing  to  them,  and  her  lovely  face  she  lifted  in  reply. 
"  May  God  make  smooth  the  path  before  thy  feet,"  she 
gently  said.  "  And  thou,  may  est  thou  be  safe  from  every 
harm,"  was  his  reply.  "  Whence  comest  thou  ?  "  she 
asked  ;  for  he  had  alighted  from  his  seat  and  stood  beside 
her,  gazing  on  her  face.  "  From  Conor's  court  we  come," 
he  answered  then ;  "  from  Emain,  kingliest  of  Ulster's 
forts,  and  this  the  way  we  took.  We  drove  between  the 
Mountains  of  the  Wood,  along  the  High-road  of  the  Plain, 
where  once  the  sea  had  been ;  across  the  Marsh  they  call 
the  Secret  of  the  Gods,  and  to  the  Boyne  s  ford  named 
of  old  the  Washing  of  the  Horses  of  the  Gods.  And  now 
at  last,  O  maiden,  we  have  come  to  the  bright  flowery 
Garden-grounds  of  Lugh.  This  is  the  story  of  myself, 
O  maid  ;  let  me  now  hear  of  thee."  Then  Emer  said  : 
"  Daughter  am  I  to  Forgall,  whom  men  call  the  Wily 
Chief.  Cunning  his  mind  and  strange  his  powers  ;  for 
he  is  stronger  than  any  labouring  man,  more  learned  than 
any  Druid,  more  sharp  and  clever  than  any  man  of  verse. 
Men  say  that  thou  art  skilled  in  feats  of  war,  but  it  will  be 


74  Cuchulain 

more  than  all  thy  games  to  fight  against  Forgall  himself  ; 
therefore  be  cautious  what  thou  doest,  for  men  cannot 
number  the  multitude  of  his  warlike  deeds  nor  the 
cunning  and  craft  with  which  he  works.  He  has 
given  me  as  a  bodyguard  twenty  valiant  men,  their 
captain  Con,  son  of  Forgall,  and  my  brother  ;  therefore 
I  am  well  protected,  and  no  man  can  come  near  me,  but 
that  Forgall  knows  of  it.  To-day  he  is  gone  from  home 
on  a  warrior  expedition,  and  those  men  are  gone  with 
him ;  else,  had  he  been  within,  I  trow  he  would  have 
asked  thee  of  thy  business  here." 

"  Why,  0  maiden,  dost  thou  talk  thus  to  me  ?  Dost 
thou  not  reckon  me  among  the  strong  men,  who  know 
not  fear  ?  "  "If  thy  deeds  were  known  to  me,"  she 
said,  "  I  then  might  reckon  them ;  but  hitherto  I  have 
not  heard  of  all  thy  exploits."  "  Truly,  I  swear,  O 
maiden,"  said  Cuchulain,  "  that  I  will  make  my  deeds  to 
be  recounted  among  the  glories  of  the  warrior-feats  of 
heroes."  "  How  do  men  reckon  thee  ?  "  she  said  again. 
"  What  then  is  thy  strength  ?  "  "  This  is  my  strength," 
he  said.  "  When  my  might  in  fight  is  weakest,  I  can 
defend  myself  alone  against  twenty.  I  fear  not  by  my 
own  might  to  fight  with  forty.  Under  my  protection  a 
hundred  are  secure.  From  dread  of  me,  strong  warriors 
avoid  my  path,  and  come  not  against  me  in  the  battle- 
field. Hosts  and  multitudes  and  armed  men  fly  before 
my  name." 

"  Thou  seemest  to  boast,"  said  Emer,  "  and  truly  for 
a  tender  boy  those  feats  are  very  good ;  but  they  rank 
not  with  the  deeds  of  chariot-chiefs.  Who  then  were 
they  who  brought  thee  up  in  these  deeds  of  which  thou 
boastest  ?  " 

"  Truly,  O  maiden,  King  Conor  is  himself  my  foster- 


Cuchulain's  Wooing  75 

father,  and  not  as  a  churl  or  common  man  was  I  brought 
up  by  him.  Among  chariot-chiefs  and  champions, 
among  poets  and  learned  men,  among  the  lords  and 
nobles  of  Ulster,  have  I  been  reared,  and  they  have  taught 
me  courage  and  skill  and  manly  gifts.  In  birth  and 
bravery  I  am  a  match  for  any  chariot-chief  ;  I  direct 
the  counsels  of  Ulster,  and  at  my  own  fort  at  Dun  Dalgan 
they  come  to  me  for  entertainment.  Not  as  one  of  the 
common  herd  do  I  stand  before  thee  here  to-day,  but 
as  the  favourite  of  the  King  and  the  darling  of  all  the 
warriors  of  Ulster.  Moreover,  the  god  Lugh  the  Long- 
handed  is  my  protector,  for  I  am  of  the  race  of  the  great 
gods,  and  his  especial  foster-child.  And  now,  O  maiden, 
tell  me  of  thyself  ;  how  in  the  sunny  plains  of  Lugh  hast 
thou  been  reared  within  thy  father's  fort  ?  "  "  That 
I  will  tell  thee,"  said  the  girl.  "  I  was  brought  up  in 
noble  behaviour  as  every  queen  is  reared  ;  in  stateliness 
of  form,  in  wise,  calm  speech,  in  comeliness  of  manner,  so 
that  to  me  is  imputed  every  noble  grace  among  the  hosts 
of  the  women  of  Erin." 

"Good,  indeed,  are  those  virtues,"  said  the  youth; 
"and  yet  I  see  one  excellence  thou  hast  not  noted  in  thy 
speech.  Never  before,  until  this  day,  among  all  women 
with  whom  I  have  at  times  conversed,  have  I  found  one 
but  thee  to  speak  the  mystic  ancient  language  of  the 
bards,  which  we  are  talking  now  for  secrecy  one  with  the 
other.  And  all  these  things  are  good,  but  one  is  best  of 
all,  and  that  is,  that  I  love  thee,  and  I  think  thou  lovest 
me.  What  hinders,  then,  that  we  should  be  betrothed  ?  " 
But  Emer  would  not  hasten,  but  teasing  him,  she  said, 
'•  Perhaps  thou  hast  already  found  a  wife  ?  "  "  Not  so," 
said  he,  "  and  by  my  right-hand's  valour  here  I  vow,  none 
but  thyself  shall  ever  be  my  wife."     "  A  pity  it  were,  in- 


76 


Cuchulain 


deed,  thou  shouldst  not  have  a  wife,"  said  Emer,  playing 
with  him  still;  "see,  here  is  Fiall,  my  elder  sister,  a  clever 
girl  and  excellent  in  needlework.  Make  her  thy  wife, 
for  well  is  it  known  to  thee,  a  younger  sister  in  Ireland 
may  not  marry  before  an  elder.  Take  her  !  I'll  call  her 
hither."  Then  Cuchulain  was  vexed  because  she  seemed 
to  play  with  him.  "  Verily  and  indeed,"  he  said,  "  not 
Fiall,  but  thee,  it  is  with  whom  I  am  in  love  ;  and  if  thou 
weddest  me  not,  never  will  I,  Cuchulain,  wed  at  all." 

Then  Emer  saw  that  Cuchulain  loved  her,  but  she  was 
not  satisfied,  because  he  had  not  yet  done  the  deeds  of 
prime  heroes,  and  she  desired  that  he  should  prove 
himself  by  champion  feats  and  deeds  of  valour  before  he 
won  her  as  his  bride. 

So  she  bade  him  go  away  and  prove  himself  for  a  year  by 
deeds  of  prowess  to  be  indeed  a  worthy  mate  and  spouse 
for  her,  and  then,  if  he  would  come  again  she  would  go  with 
him  as  his  one  and  only  wife.  But  she  bade  him  beware 
of  her  father,  for  she  knew  that  he  would  try  to  kill  him, 
in  order  that  he  might  not  come  again.  And  this  was 
true,  for  every  way  he  sought  to  kill  Cuchulain,  or  to 
have  him  killed  by  his  enemies,  but  he  did  not  prevail. 

When  Cuchulain  had  taken  farewell  of  Emer  and  gained 
her  promise,  he  returned  to  Emain  Macha.  And  that 
night  the  maidens  of  the  fort  told  Forgall  that  Cuchulain 
had  been  there  and  that  they  thought  that  he  had  come 
to  woo  Emer  ;  but  of  this  they  were  not  sure,  because  he 
and  Emer  had  talked  together  in  the  poet's  mystic 
tongue,  that  was  not  known  to  them.  For  Emer  and 
Cuchulain  talked  on  this  wise,  that  no  one  might  repeat 
what  they  had  said  to  Forgall. 

And  for  a  whole  year  Cuchulain  was  away,  and  Forgall 
guarded  the  fort  so  well  that  he  could  not  come  near 


Cuchulain's  Wooing  77 

Emer  to  speak  with  her  ;  but  at  last,  when  the  year  was 
out,  he  would  wait  no  longer,  and  he  wrote  a  message 
to  Emer  on  a  piece  of  stick,  telling  her  to  be  ready.  And 
he  came  in  his  war-chariot,  with  scythes  upon  its  wheels, 
and  he  brought  a  band  of  hardy  men  with  him,  who 
entered  the  outer  rampart  of  the  fort  and  carried  off  Emer, 
striking  down  men  on  every  side.  And  Forgall  followed 
them  to  the  earthen  out-works,  but  he  fell  over  the  rath, 
and  was  taken  up  lifeless.  And  Cuchulain  placed  Emer 
and  her  foster-sister  in  his  chariot,  carrying  with  them 
their  garments  and  ornaments  of  gold  and  silver,  and 
they  drove  northward  to  Cuchulain's  fort  at  Dun 
Dalgan,  which  is  Dundalk  to-day. 

And  they  were  pursued  to  the  Boyne,  and  there 
Cuchulain  placed  Emer  in  a  house  of  safety,  and  he 
turned  and  drove  off  his  enemies  who  followed  him, 
pursuing  them  along  the  banks  and  destroying  them, 
so  that  the  place,  which  had  before  been  called  the  White 
Field,  was  called  the  Turf  of  Blood  from  that  day. 
Then  he  and  Emer  reached  their  home  in  safety,  nor 
were  they  henceforth  parted  until  death. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Meave  demands  the  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley 
and  is  refused 

FOR  many  years  Meave  had  been  making  pre- 
parations for  her  war  with  Ulster.  To  the  East 
and  South  and  West  she  had  sent  her  messengers, 
stirring  up  the  chiefs  and  calling  them  to  aid  her  in  her 
attack  on  Conor's  land.  From  every  quarter  she  asked 
for  supplies  of  men  and  food,  and  if  these  were  refused, 
she  sent  her  fighting-bands  into  the  district  to  waste 
and  destroy  it,  and  to  carry  off  the  cattle  and  produce 
by  force.  All  the  princes  of  Ireland  stood  in  awe  of 
Meave,  so  ruthless  and  proud  was  she,  and  so  quick  in 
her  descent  upon  the  lands  of  those  who  would  not  do  her 
will.  For  had  they  not  regarded  her  request,  all  Ireland 
would  have  been  set  in  flames  ;  for  she  would  plunder 
and  destroy  without  pity  or  remorse.  So  in  their  own 
defence,  the  princes  of  the  provinces  promised  her 
fighting-men  and  provender  whenever  she  should  call 
upon  them,  and  month  by  month  she  gathered  round  her 
fort  at  Cruachan  herds  of  cattle  and  swine  and  sheep, 
ready  for  the  war. 

Now  Meave  was  looking  about  for  a  cause  of  contest 
between  herself  and  Ulster  ;  for  she  knew  that  Cuchu- 
lain  was  yet  young,  and  she  desired  to  begin  the  war 
before  he  came  to  his  full  strength  ;    moreover,  she  had 

78 


The  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley        79 

heard  that  upon  Ulster  at  that  time  there  lay  a  heavy- 
sickness,  which  had  prostrated  its  fighting-men  and 
warriors,  its  princes  and  captains,  and  that  even  Conor, 
the  King,  himself  lay  ill. 

No  common  sickness  was  that  which  lay  upon  the 
Province,  but  it  came  of  the  wrath  and  vengeance  of  the 
gods.  For  in  the  days  gone  by  the  goddess  Macha, 
one  of  the  three  fierce  goddesses  of  war  and  battles, 
had  visited  Ulster  as  a  mortal  maid,  to  bring  aid  and 
comfort  to  one  of  the  nobles  of  Ulster  who  was  in  sore 
distress.  And  the  King  and  people  had  reviled  her,  and 
brought  shame  and  scoffing  upon  her,  because  they  saw 
that  she  was  not  as  one  of  themselves  ;  for  they  liked 
not  that  a  woman  greater  than  themselves  should  take 
up  her  abode  amongst  them.  They  made  game  of  her 
in  the  public  assembly,  crowding  round  her,  and  scoffing 
at  her  courage  and  her  splendid  form  and  at  her  swift- 
ness of  running  beyond  any  of  the  men.  For  they  knew 
not  that  she  was  one  of  the  great  gods,  and  they  were 
jealous  of  her,  because  they  felt  that  she  was  nobler  than 
they.  Then  Macha  cursed  the  men  of  Ulster,  and  told 
them  that  in  a  time  of  danger  and  sore  need,  when  all 
the  chiefs  and  warriors  of  Ireland  should  gather  round 
its  borders,  plundering  and  destroying,  she  would  cast 
upon  their  warriors  weakness  and  feebleness  of  body 
and  of  mind,  so  that  they  could  not  go  forth  in 
defence  of  the  Province,  and  the  land  should  be 
a  prey  to  their  enemies.  Only  upon  Cuchulain  she 
laid  not  her  curse,  for  he  was  young,  and  it  fell  not 
upon  women  and  little  children,  but  upon  full-grown 
warriors  only,  because  it  was  the  men  of  Ulster  who 
had  insulted  her.  Then  she  went  away  from  them, 
and  in  dread  of  her  they  called  the  palace  of  the  King 


80  Cuchulain 

Emain  Macha,  or  the  "  Brooch-pin  of  Macha,"  to  this 
day.1 

When  then  Macha  saw  Meave  gathering  her  hosts 
together  to  war  against  Ulster,  she  brought  upon  them 
this  sickness,  as  she  had  prophesied.  And  Meave, 
hearing  of  this,  hastened  her  preparations  for  the  war, 
for  she  was  determined  that,  come  what  might,  she 
would  march  into  Ulster  at  that  time  and  smite  it  in  its 
weakness,  so  that  once  and  for  ever  Ulster  would  be 
subdued  to  Connaught  by  her  hand.  And  her  pride 
waxed  greater  at  the  thought. 

There  were  in  Ireland  at  that  time  two  famous  bulls, 
unlike  to  any  kine  that  ever  have  been  in  Ireland  from 
that  time  until  now.  For  these  bulls  were  cattle  of  the 
gods,  and  they  had  come  to  abide  among  men  for  this 
purpose  only,  to  incite  and  bring  about  a  war  between 
Connaught  and  Ulster.  For  Macha  watched  o'er  men, 
and  she  awaited  the  day  when  her  revenge  upon  Ulster 
should  fall.  Now  these  cattle  were  born,  one  in  the 
Province  of  Connaught  among  the  cattle  of  Meave,  and 
the  other  in  Ulster  among  the  cattle  of  Daire  of  Cooley, 
in  Cuchulain's  country.  Meave  knew  not  that  these 
were  immortal  beasts,  for  that  was  in  the  secrets  of  the 
gods,  but  she  knew  well  that  among  her  cattle  was  one 
bull  of  extraordinary  size,  and  fierceness,  and  strength, 
so  that  no  other  member  of  her  herds  dared  to  come  near 
it ;  moreover,  fifty  men  were  required  to  keep  it.  And 
of  all  her  stock,  there  was  not  one  that  Meave  counted 
worth  a  metal  ring  beside  this  bull.  She  named  him  the 
Finn-bennach  or  "  White-horned,"  and  she  believed 
that  not  in  Ireland  nor  in  the  whole  world  beside,  was 

1  The  raths  or  earthworks  of  Emain  Macha  are  still  to  be  discerned 
two  miles  west  of  Armagh,  at  a  place  now  called  Navan  Fort. 


Macha  curses  the  Men  of  Ulster 


80 


The  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley       8 1 

the  equal  and  the  fellow  of  this  bull.  One  day,  before 
the  war  began,  while  Meave  was  meditating  in  her  mind 
what  challenge  she  should  send  to  Ulster,  she  caused 
all  her  cattle  to  be  arrayed  before  her. 

From  pastures  and  meadow-lands,  from  hills  and  vales, 
she  called  in  all  her  stock,  her  sheep  and  swine,  her  cattle 
and  her  steeds.  Ailill  also,  her  husband,  caused  his 
flocks  and  herds  to  be  brought  in,  and  reckoned  alongside 
of  hers.  For  Meave  had  boasted  to  her  spouse  that  in  all 
possessions  of  kine  and  live  stock,  as  also  in  household 
goods  and  utensils,  in  jewels  and  ornaments,  in  garments 
and  in  stuffs,  her  share  was  greater  far  than  his,  so  that, 
in  fact,  she  was  the  better  of  the  two,  the  real  ruler  and 
prince  of  Connaught. 

Ailill  liked  not  this  boasting  of  his  wife  ;  so  when  their 
flocks  were  driven  in,  their  vessels  and  vats  and  mugs 
collected,  their  clasped  ornaments  and  rings,  as  well  arm- 
rings  as  thumb-rings,  brooches  and  collars  of  carven 
metal -work,  with  their  apparel  and  stuffs,  it  pleased  the 
King  to  find  that  the  share  of  Meave  and  of  himself  was 
exactly  equal  and  alike.  Among  Meave' s  horses  was  a 
special  mare,  and  she  thought  there  was  no  mare  in  Ire- 
land to  equal  it,  but  Ailill  had  one  just  its  match.  Among 
the  sheep  Meave  owned  one  mighty  ram,  and  among 
the  swine  one  eminent  boar,  but  Ailill  proved  that 
amongst  his  flocks  and  herds  he  had  the  same.  Then 
Meave  said :  "  Among  the  cattle,  however,  certain  it  is, 
that  there  is  no  bull  to  be  named  in  the  same  breath  with 
the  White-horned."  "  Ay,  no,  indeed,"  said  the  herds- 
man, "  the  White-horned  surpasseth  all  beasts  ;  but,  a 
week  ago,  he  left  the  company  of  thy  cattle,  O  Queen, 
and  went  over  to  the  cattle  of  the  King.  'Tis  my  opinion 
that  he  heard  the  keepers  say  that  it  was  strange  that  so 
I 


8  2  Cuchulain 

powerful  a  bull  should  be  under  the  dominion  of  a  woman  ; 
for  no  sooner  were  the  words  out  of  their  mouths,  than 
he  broke  loose  from  his  stall,  and,  head  in  air  and 
bellowing  loudly,  he  passed  over  to  the  herds  of  Ailill. 
Nought  could  stay  him  or  bring  him  back  ;  and  all 
that  stood  in  his  path  were  trampled  and  gored  to 
death." 

Now  when  Meave  heard  that  the  White-horned  was 
no  longer  in  her  keeping,  not  one  of  her  possessions  had 
any  value  in  her  eyes  ;  for,  because  she  had  not  that 
especial  bull,  it  was  in  her  esteem  as  though  she  owned 
not  so  much  as  a  penny's  worth  of  stock. 

When  Mac  Roth,  her  herald,  who  stood  at  her  right 
hand,  saw  the  Queen's  vexation,  he  said,  "  I  know,  O 
Queen,  where  a  better  bull  than  the  White-horned  is  to  be 
found,  even  with  Daire  of  Cooley,  in  Cuchulain's  country, 
and  the  Dun  or  "  Brown  Bull  "  of  Cooley  is  its  name ;  a 
match  it  is  to  the  White-horned  ;  nay,  I  think  that  it  is 
yet  more  powerful  than  he." 

"  Whence  came  these  bulls  ?  "  said  Meave  ;  "  and 
what  is  their  strength  and  their  history  ?  Tell  me, 
Mac  Roth,  yet  further  of  this  bull." 

Then  Mac  Roth  said :  "  This  is  the  description  of  the 
Dun.  Brown  he  is,  and  dark  as  night,  terrific  in  strength 
and  size.  Upon  his  back,  at  evening-tide,  full  fifty  little 
boys  can  play  their  games.  He  moves  about  with  fifty 
heifers  at  his  side,  and  if  his  keepers  trouble  him,  he 
tramples  them  into  the  earth  in  his  rage.  Throughout 
the  land  his  bellowings  can  be  heard,  and  on  his  horns 
are  gold  and  silver  tips.  Before  the  cows  he  marches 
as  a  king,  with  bull -like  front,  and  with  the  resistless  pace 
of  the  long  billow  rolling  on  the  shore.  Like  to  the 
fury  of  a  dragon,  or  like  a  lion's  fierceness  is  his  rage. 


The  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley       83 

Only  the  Finn-bennach,  the  White-horned  bull,  is  his 
mate  and  match  ;  his  pair  in  strength,  in  splendour, 
and  in  pride." 

And  Meave  said  :  "  What  and  whence  are  these  kine, 
and  wherefore  did  they  come  to  Ireland  ?  " 

Mac  Roth  replied  :  "  These  are  the  cattle  of  the  gods  ; 
out  of  the  Fairy  Palaces  they  came  to  Erin,  and  into  the 
Fairy  Palaces  they  will  return  again.  For  the  disturb- 
ance and  downfall  of  Erin  are  they  come,  to  awaken  wars 
and  tumults  among  her  people.  Eefore  they  became 
cattle,  they  have  lived  many  lives  in  many  forms,  but 
in  whatever  form  they  come  to  earth  destruction  and 
warfare  haunt  their  steps.  At  the  first  they  were  two 
swineherds  of  the  gods,  dwelling  in  the  underworld,  and 
they  kept  the  herds  of  the  fairy  gods  of  Munster  and  of 
Connaught.  But  a  mighty  war  was  fought  between 
them,  so  that  all  Erin  was  disturbed  and  troubled  by 
that  war ;  and  each  of  them  tore  the  other  in  pieces, 
so  that  they  died.  But  they  were  born  again  as  two 
ravens,  dwelling  upon  earth,  and  for  three  hundred 
years  they  lived  as  birds,  but  in  the  end  they  pecked 
each  other  till  they  died. 

"  Then  they  became  two  monsters  of  the  sea,  and  after 
that  two  warriors  and  two  demon-men.  But  in  each  of 
all  these  forms  they  met  together  in  terrific  contest,  so 
that  the  world  of  men  and  even  the  dwellings  of  the  gentle 
gods  were  stirred  and  agitated  by  their  wrath.  For  when 
men  hear  the  sighing  of  the  wind,  or  the  wild  turmoil  of 
the  billows  on  the  shore,  then,  indeed,  it  is  the  bulls 
in  fight  wherever  they  may  be,  or  in  whatever  form. 
And  now  that  they  are  come  to  earth  again,  no  doubt 
some  mighty  contest  is  at  hand  ;  for  surely  they  are 
come  to  stir  up  strife  and  deadly  warfare  between  man 


84 


Cuchulain 


and  man,  and  Connaught  and  Ulster  will  be  concerned 
in  this." 

"  That  likes  us  well,"  said  Meave,  "  and  for  this  con- 
test we  will  well  prepare.  So,  since  the  fellow  of  the 
White-horned  dwells  in  Cooley,  take  thou  with  thee  a 
company,  Mac  Roth,  and  go  and  beg  this  excellent  bull 
from  Daire,  that  henceforth  my  cattle  may  compare  with 
AililPs  kine,  or  that  they  may  surpass  them.  Give  all 
conditions  he  demands  and  promise  what  thou  wilt,  so 
only  Daire  give  up  the  bull.  And  if  he  give  it  not  up 
willingly,  then  will  we  come  and  seize  the  bull  by  force." 

For  to  herself  she  said  :  "  The  taking  of  this  bull  will 
be  a  thing  not  easy  to  accomplish  ;  if  Daire,  as  is  likely, 
refuse  it  to  me,  war  will  arise  between  Connaught  and 
Ulster,  and  this,  seeing  that  the  warriors  of  Ulster  are 
now  lying  in  their  pains,  we  much  could  wish.  For  our 
hosts  are  gathered  and  our  provisions  ready,  while  on 
Ulster's  side  there  are  but  women  and  little  children  and 
Cuchulain  ready  and  fit  to  meet  us  ;  quickly  in  that 
case  we  shall  march  into  Ulster's  borders  and  raid  the 
country  up  to  Emain's  palace  gates,  carrying  off  the 
spoils ;  the  Brown  Bull  also  we  will  bring  with  us,  and 
henceforth  not  Ailill,  nor  the  King  of  Ulster,  nor  all 
Ireland  besides,  will  hold  up  their  heads  against  our- 
selves or  boast  themselves  our  equal." 

So  Mac  Roth  with  nine  of  his  company  travelled  to  the 
house  of  Daire  in  Cooley,  and  welcome  was  made  for 
them,  and  fresh  rushes  strewn  upon  the  floor  and 
viands  of  the  best  were  set  before  them,  as  became  the 
chief  of  Ireland's  heralds.  But  before  they  sat  down  to 
meat,  Daire  inquired  of  them  :  "  What  is  the  cause  of 
your  journey  here  to-day  ?  "  And  Mac  Roth  replied  : 
"  A  quarrel  that  has  arisen  between  Ailill  and  Meave, 


The  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley       85 

the  King  and  Queen  of  Connaught,  about  the  possession 
of  the  White -horned,  for  Meave  is  sorrowful  and  vexed 
because  the  King  hath  a  better  bull  than  she.  She 
craves  therefore,  that  a  loan  of  the  Dun  or  Brown  Bull 
of  Cooley  be  made  to  her,  that  she  may  say  that  she  hath 
the  finer  kine.  And  if  thou  thyself  wilt  bring  the  bull 
to  Cruachan,  good  payment  shall  be  given  thee  :  that  is, 
due  payment  for  the  loan  of  the  bull,  and  fifty  heifers 
into  the  bargain,  besides  a  stretch  of  country  of  the  best  in 
Connaught,  and  Meave's  close  friendship  along  with  this." 

This  pleased  Daire  so  well,  that  he  threw  himself 
upon  his  couch,  and  he  laughed  loud  and  long,  so  that 
the  seams  of  the  couch  burst  asunder  under  him. 
"  By  our  good  faith,"  he  said,  "  the  offer  is  a  good  one, 
and  whatever  the  men  of  Ulster  may  say  to  my  lending 
away  their  precious  bull,  lend  it  I  will  with  all  my 
heart." 

Then  supper  was  served,  and  the  messengers  of  Meave 
ate  and  drank,  and  Daire  plied  them  with  strong  wines, 
so  that  they  began  to  talk  at  random  to  each  other. 
"  A  good  house  is  this  to  which  we  have  come,  and  a 
wealthy  man  is  Daire,"  said  one  to  his  fellow.  "  Wealthy 
he  is  indeed,"  said  the  other.  "  Would  you  say  that 
he  was  the  best  man  in  all  Ulster,  and  the  richest  ?  " 
pursued  the  first  who  had  spoken.  "  Surely  not,"  replied 
the  other,  "  for  Conor  the  King,  at  least,  is  better  in  every 
way  than  he."  "  Well,  lucky  it  is,  I  say,"  pursued  the 
first,  "  that  without  bloodshed  or  any  difficulty  raised, 
he  yields  the  bull  to  us  nine  messengers  ;  for  had  he 
refused  it,  I  trow  that  the  warriors  of  all  Ireland's 
Provinces  could  not  have  carried  it  off  from  Ulster." 
"  Say  not  so,"  cried  another,  "  for  in  truth,  little  matter 
to  us  had  it  been  if  Daire  had  refused  it,  for  had  we  not 


86  Cuchulain 

got  the  bull  by  fair  means,  we  would  have  carried  it  off 
by  foul." 

Now  just  at  that  moment  in  came  the  steward,  with 
fresh  viands  to  set  before  the  guests,  but  when  he  over- 
heard their  conversation,  and  the  slighting  way  in  which 
his  master  was  spoken  of  by  the  heralds  of  Connaught,  he 
set  down  the  meat  without  a  word  and  without  inviting 
them  to  partake,  and  out  he  went  at  once  and  told  his 
master  what  the  heralds  had  said.  Then  Daire  was  very 
angry,  and  he  exclaimed,  "  By  the  gods,  I  declare,  that 
never  will  I  lend  the  bull ;  and  that  now,  unless  by  foul 
means  they  carry  him  off  from  me,  he  never  shall  be 
theirs." 

The  next  morning,  the  messengers  arose,  having  slept 
off  their  carouse,  and  they  went  to  Daire' s  house,  and 
courteously  said  :  "  Show  us  now,  noble  Sir,  the  way  to 
the  place  where  the  Brown  Bull  is,  that  we  may  proceed 
with  him  on  our  journey  back  to  Cruachan." 

"  Not  so,  indeed,"  said  Daire,  "  for  were  it  my  habit 
to  deal  treacherously  with  those  that  come  in  em- 
bassage, not  one  of  you  would  have  seen  the  light  of  the 
sun  to-day."  "  Why,  how  now,  what  is  this  ?  "  they 
asked,  surprised,  for  they  had  forgotten  what  they  had 
said  over  their  cups  the  night  before.  "  'Tis  plain 
enough,  I  think,"  said  Daire  ;  "  your  people  said  last 
night  that  if  I  gave  the  bull  not  up  of  mine  own  will,  yet 
Meave  and  Ailill  would  make  me  give  it  up  by  force. 
Let  Meave  and  Ailill  come  and  take  it  if  they  can.  All 
Ulster  will  prepare  to  hold  the  bull." 

"  Come,  come,"  said  Mac  Roth,  "  heed  not  what  foolish 
men  said  after  food  and  drink  ;  Ailill  and  Meave  had  no 
ill  intent  in  sending  us  to  ask  the  bull  of  you.  It  were 
not  right  to  hold  them  responsible  for  the  loose  words 


The  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley        87 

of  their  messengers."  "  Nevertheless,  Mac  Roth,  and 
however  this  may  be,  at  this  time  you  do  not  get  my 
bull." 

So  Mac  Roth  and  the  nine  messengers  returned  to 
Rath  Crogan,1  and  Meave  inquired  for  the  bull.  And 
when  she  heard  their  tale,  she  said,  "  I  thought  as  much, 
Mac  Roth :  it  was  not  intended  that  you  should  have 
the  bull.  The  bull,  which  is  not  to  be  got  by  fair  means, 
must  be  got  by  foul ;  and  by  fair  or  foul,  he  shall  be  got 
by  us." 

1  Cruachan  (now  Rath  Crogan)  is  in  Co.  Roscommon  ;  tumuli  mark 
the  site  of  the  ancient  kingly  fort. 


CHAPTER  X 
The  Plucking  out  of  the  Four-pronged  Pole 

THEN  Meave  gathered  her  hosts  together  and 
set  out  from  Cruachan,  each  party  under  its 
own  leader,  marching  in  order  of  rank,  with 
Fergus  mac  Roy  guiding  the  entire  army,  and  Meave 
bringing  up  the  rear,  in  order  that  she  might  keep  all 
her  troops  under  her  own  eye.  Meave's  way  of  travel- 
ling when  she  went  into  battle  was  in  a  chariot,  with  her 
bodyguard  of  chosen  warriors  around  her,  who,  in  any 
time  of  danger,  interlocked  their  shields  to  form  a  ram- 
part and  protection  on  every  side  as  she  moved  along. 

Gaily  her  troops  marched  in  their  many-coloured  garb, 
their  short  kilts  falling  to  the  knee,  their  long  cloaks  over 
that.  And  the  colour  of  the  kilts  of  each  troop  was 
different,  so  that  each  man  knew  his  own  comrades  by 
the  pattern  of  his  kilt.  In  their  hands  they  carried 
shields  and  spears  upon  long  shafts,  while  others  had 
five-pronged  spears,  or  mighty  swords,  or  javelins. 

It  was  in  the  beginning  of  winter  that  they  set  out,  and 
already  snow  lay  heavy  on  the  ground  ;  on  the  very 
first  night  it  fell  so  thickly,  that  it  reached  to  the  chariot- 
wheels  and  almost  to  their  very  shoulders,  nor  could 
they  find  any  track  or  way. 

Meave  called  Fergus,  and  said  to  him  :  "  Go  on  before 
the  hosts,  O  Fergus,  and  find  us  out  the  shortest  road  into 
Ulster,  for  in  such  weather  as  this,  it  is  not  well  that  we 

88 


The  Four-pronged  Pole  89 

lose  time  by  wandering  out  of  the  right  way."  So  with  a 
few  companions  Fergus  went  on  ahead  ;  but  as  he  drove 
along,  the  memory  of  old  friends  and  of  his  home  and 
country  came  upon  him,  and  an  overwhelming  affection 
for  Ulster  took  hold  on  him,  and  in  his  mind  there  arose 
shame  and  bitter  self-reproach  that  he,  the  former  King 
of  Ulster,  should  be  leading  Ulster's  foes  against  her. 
For  he  liked  Meave  and  he  liked  her  not ;  her  kindness 
to  himself  and  the  exiles  of  Ulster  had  prevailed  with 
him  to  aid  her  in  her  war  upon  the  province  ;  but  her 
wiles  and  cunning  and  manlike  ways  he  cared  not  for,  and 
in  his  heart  he  had  no  wish  to  see  the  province  subdued 
to  her.  So  to  the  North  and  the  South  he  misled  the 
host,  making  them  walk  all  day  by  difficult  paths  far  out 
of  their  way,  while  in  the  meantime  he  sent  swift  mes- 
sengers to  Conor  and  the  Ulster  chiefs,  but  especially  to 
his  own  foster-son  Cuchulain,  whom  he  loved,  to  call 
their  men  at  arms  together,  because  Meave  and  a  host 
of  warriors  from  all  the  provinces  of  Ireland  were  on 
their  borders.  At  night,  after  a  long  day's  march,  the 
army  found  itself  back  in  the  very  spot  from  which  it 
had  set  out,  not  far  beyond  the  banks  of  the  River 
Shannon.  Then  Meave  called  Fergus,  and  angrily 
she  spoke  to  him  :  "  A  good  guide  to  an  army  art  thou,  O 
Fergus,  bringing  it  back  at  night  to  the  very  place  from 
which  in  the  morning  it  set  out.  A  good  enemy  of 
Ulster  this.  A  good  friend  to  Connaught  and  its  queen !  " 
"  Seek  out  some  other  leader  for  your  troops,  O  Meave," 
said  Fergus,  "  for  never  will  I  lead  them  against  the 
province  of  Ulster  and  against  my  own  people  and  my 
foster-son  !  But  this  I  tell  you,  beware  and  look  out 
well  for  your  troops  to-night  and  every  night  from  this  ; 
for  it  may  be  that  Cuchulain  will  stand  between  you  and 


90  Cuchulain 

Ulster,  and  the  standing  of  Cuchulain  will  be  as  the 
crouching  of  the  Hounds  of  War  upon  your  path  ;  there- 
fore be w are  and  guard  yourselves  well  before  him  !  " 

Now  that  very  night  Cuchulain  got  the  message  of 
Fergus,  for  he  was  with  his  father,  Sualtach,  not  far  from 
this  place.  Together  in  their  chariot  they  drove  to  the 
borders  of  the  country  where  the  army  was  encamped 
to  seek  for  the  trail  of  the  hosts  ;  but  they  found  it 
not  easy  to  discover  the  trail,  because  of  the  snow  and 
because  of  the  wandering  path  that  Fergus  had  taken 
the  troops.  They  unyoked  the  chariots,  and  turned  the 
horses  out  to  graze  at  a  certain  pillar-stone  beside  a 
ford ;  and  on  one  side  of  the  pillar-stone  the  horses  of 
Sualtach  cropped  the  grass  down  to  the  very  ground, 
and  on  the  other  the  horses  of  Cuchulain  did  the  same. 
Then  Cuchulain  said  :  "  To-night,  O  father,  I  have  a 
shrewd  suspicion  that  the  host  is  near ;  depart  thou  there- 
fore to  warn  Ulster,  and  to  bid  them  arise  and  come  by 
secret  ways  to  meet  the  men  of  Erin." 

Now  in  his  heart  was  Sualtach  glad  and  pleased  to 
be  gone,  because  he  was  not  a  man  who  loved  to  stand  in 
the  gap  of  danger,  nor  to  risk  his  life  before  an  enemy 
stronger  than  himself  ;  but  yet  he  was  loth  to  leave  his 
son  alone.  So  he  said,  "  And  thou,  beloved,  what  wilt 
thou  do  ?  " 

"  I  will  stand  between  the  men  of  Ireland  and  the 
province  of  Ulster,"  said  the  boy,  "  so  that  no  harm 
or  hurt  befall  the  province  until  Ulster  be  ready  for 
battle  ;  here  on  the  borders  do  I  take  my  stand,  and  I  will 
so  harry  and  trouble  the  hosts  of  Meave  that  they  will 
wish  the  expedition  had  never  been  undertaken." 

So  Cuchulain  hastened  his  father,  and  Sualtach  bade 
him  farewell,  and  slipped  away  to  Emain  Macha.     But 


The  Four-pronged  Pole  91 

when  he  found  the  warriors  were  asleep,  his  old  lethargy 
came  over  Sualtach,  and  he  forgot  the  message  of  Cuchu- 
lain,  and  under  Emain's  ramparts  he  took  up  his  abode. 
"  Here  will  I  wait  in  safety,"  he  thought ;  "  and  when 
the  King  and  chiefs  awake,  I,  with  the  first  of  them, 
will  march  to  war  with  Meave.  I  will  not  be  behind, 
but  all  alone  I  have  not  the  heart  to  fight." 

No  sooner  had  Sualtach  gone  his  way  than  Cuchulain 
entered  a  forest  close  at  hand  and  out  of  an  oak  sapling 
cut  a  four-pronged  pole,  which  with  one  sweep  of  his  swift 
sword  he  cleared  of  all  its  twigs  and  leaves  and  small 
branches.  With  the  finger-tips  of  his  right  hand  he 
hurled  it  out  behind  his  chariot,  going  at  full  pace,  so 
that  it  sank  into  the  ground  in  the  middle  of  the  stream, 
and  stood  up  just  above  the  water.  Upon  the  pole  he 
flung  a  ring  or  twisted  collar  of  young  birch,  and  on  the 
ring  he  carved  his  name  and  a  message  in  secret  runes. 
Just  at  that  moment  two  young  men  of  the  host  of 
Meave,  gone  out  before  the  troops  to  scout,  came  near 
and  watched  him.  No  time  had  they  to  turn  and  flee, 
for  with  one  leap  Cuchulain  was  upon  them,  and  both 
their  heads  struck  off.  These  and  the  two  heads  of  their 
charioteers  were  soon  impaled  on  the  four  points  of  the 
forked  pole  ;  but  the  chariots  he  turned  back,  driving 
them  towards  the  host  of  Meave.  When  the  warriors 
saw  the  chariots  return  with  headless  men,  they  thought 
the  army  of  Ulster  must  be  close  before  them,  waiting 
their  coming  at  the  ford.  Therefore  a  great  company 
of  them  marched  forward  to  the  stream,  ready  and  armed 
for  battle,  but  nothing  did  they  see  but  a  tall  pole  that 
stood  upright  in  the  swirling  waters  of  the  stream,  bearing 
a  rude  carved  collar  on  its  top,  and  on  the  point  of  every 
branching  prong  a  bleeding  new-slain  head. 


gi  Cuchulain 

"  Go  now,"  said  Ailill  to  his  man,  "  fetch  me  the  collar 
here."  But  all  in  vain  he  tried  to  read  the  words  en- 
graven on  the  ring.  "  What,  Fergus,  are  the  words 
inscribed  upon  this  ring  ?  "  said  he.  "  Who  could  have 
written  them  ?  A  strange  thing,  verily,  it  seems  to  me, 
that  two  brave  scouts  could  have  been  slain  like  this, 
well-nigh  within  the  sight  of  all  our  men.  A  marvel,  I 
confess,  this  thing  to  me." 

"  Not  that  it  is  at  which  I  marvel,"  Fergus  said ;  "I 
marvel  rather  that  with  one  sweep  of  the  sword  this  tree 
was  felled  and  cleaned  of  all  its  twigs.  See,  it  is  written 
on  the  ring  that  with  one  hand  this  pole  was  thrown,  and 
fixed  firmly  in  its  bed  ;  it  is  written  here,  moreover,  that 
the  men  of  Erin  are  forbidden  to  pass  this  ford,  until  in 
exactly  the  same  manner  it  is  plucked  up  again." 

"  One  man  only  in  the  army  can  do  that,  namely,  you 
yourself,  O  Fergus  !  "  answered  Meave.  "  Now  help  us 
in  this  strait  and  pluck  the  pole  out  of  the  river's  bed 
for  us." 

"  Bring  me  a  chariot,  then,  and  I  will  see  what  I 
can  do." 

A  chariot  was  brought  and  Fergus  mounted  into  it. 
With  all  his  force  he  dashed  down  into  the  water,  and 
with  his  finger-tips  in  passing  by  he  tried  to  draw  the 
pole  out  of  its  place.  But  all  in  vain  ;  the  pole  stood 
fast,  and  though  he  tugged  and  strained,  so  that  the 
chariot  flew  into  little  bits  and  fragments,  he  could  not 
stir  or  move  the  pole  an  inch.  One  chariot  after  another 
he  essayed,  and  all  of  them  went  into  splinters,  but  not 
one  whit  the  looser  was  the  pole.  At  last  Meave  said  : 
"  Give  over,  Fergus  ;  enough  of  my  people's  chariots  are 
broken  with  this  game.  Get  your  own  chariot  and  pull 
out  the  pole.     Right  well  I  guess  your  purpose  ;    for 


The  Four-pronged  Pole  93 

you  have  in  mind  to  hamper  and  delay  the  progress  of 
our  host  till  Ulster  be  aroused  and  come  to  meet  us  ;  but 
that  your  guidance  led  us  all  astray,  we  might  be  even 
now  in  Ulster's  border-lands." 

Then  Fergus's  own  mighty  chariot  was  brought,  all 
made  of  iron,  studded  o'er  with  nails,  heavy  and  massive 
in  its  make.  Upright  he  stood  in  it,  and  with  a  powerful, 
superhuman  pull  he  wrenched  with  one  hand's  finger-tips 
the  pole  from  out  its  bed,  and  handed  it  to  Ailill. 

Attentively  and  long  the  King  considered  it,  and  then 
he  asked,  "  Whom  thinkest  thou,  O  Fergus,  it  might  be 
who  threw  this  pole  into  the  river-bed  and  slaughtered 
our  two  scouts  ?  Was  it  Conall  the  victorious,  or 
Celtchar,  or  even  Conor  himself  ?  Surely  it  was  some 
brave,  well-seasoned  man,  some  warrior  of  old  renown, 
who  did  a  deed  like  this  !  "  "I  think,"  said  Fergus, 
"  that  not  one  of  these  three  heroes  would  have  come 
alone  from  Ulster,  unattended  by  their  bodyguard  and 
troops."  "  Whom,  then,  thinkest  thou  was  here  ?  " 
persisted  Ailill ;  "  who  could  have  done  this  deed  ?  " 
"  I  think,"  said  Fergus,  "  that  it  was  Cuchulain, 
Ulster's  Hound." 


CHAPTER  XI 

The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck 

'  HEN  Meave  heard  that  already  the  Hound  of 
Ulster  stood  upon  her  path,  the  words  spoken 
by  the  fairy  Feidelm  and  the  Druid  came  back 
into  her  mind,  and  she  resolved  that  not  a  moment  would 
she  linger  by  the  way,  but  now  at  once,  before  the  men 
of  Ulster  were  risen  from  their  weakness,  she  would  push 
on  direct  to  Emain  Macha.  "  If  one  man  alone  and 
single-handed  be  formidable  to  us,"  she  said  to  Ail  ill, 
"  still  more  formidable  will  he  be  with  the  gathered  hosts 
of  Ulster  at  his  back,  fighting  for  their  country  and  their 
fatherland." 

So  that  very  night  she  gave  command  that  the 
army  should  move  on,  taking  the  direct  way  into 
Ulster  ;  and  when  the  men  complained  there  was  no 
road,  she  bid  her  soldiers  take  their  swords  and  hew 
for  the  chariots  a  path  straight  through  the  forests. 
Haughtily  she  cried,  "  Though  mountains  and  high  hills 
stood  in  my  way,  yet  should  they  be  hewn  down  before 
me  and  smoothed  to  level  lands.  So  by  new  paths  may- 
hap we  shall  slip  by  Cuchulain  unperceived,  and  fall  on 
Ulster  sleeping;  thus  shall  we  take  Cuchulain  in  the  rear." 

But  whichever  way  the  army  turned,  from  that  night 

forward  Cuchulain  was  on  the  path  before  it,  and  though 

the  warriors  could  not  catch  sight  of  him,  at  every  point 

he  cut  off  twos  and  threes,  whenever  scouts  were  sent 

w 


The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck  95 

before  the  host.  At  length  they  could  not  get  the  scouts 
to  go,  and  whole  bands  went  out  together,  but  even  so 
but  few  returned  alive.  And  strange  things  happened, 
which  alarmed  the  men,  and  Meave  herself  at  last  grew 
sore  afraid.  One  evening,  thinking  that  all  was  safe, 
Meave  and  her  women  walked  to  take  the  air,  she  carry- 
ing on  her  shoulders  her  pet  bird  and  squirrel.  They 
talked  together  of  the  wonders  that  Cuchulain  wrought, 
and  how  that  very  day  he  had  fallen  alone  upon  a  troop 
of  men  who  cut  a  path  through  woods  some  miles  away 
beyond  the  camp  to  eastward,  and  how  but  one  of  them 
escaped  to  tell  the  tale.  Just  as  they  spoke,  a  short 
sharp  sound  was  heard,  as  of  a  sling-stone  passing  near 
their  heads,  and  at  Meave's  feet  the  squirrel  dropped, 
struck  through  the  heart.  Startled,  she  turned  to  see 
whose  hand  had  killed  her  pet,  but  as  she  turned,  down 
from  the  other  shoulder  dropped  the  bird,  slain  also  by  a 
stone.  "  Cuchulain  must  be  near,"  the  women  cried ; 
"  no  other  hand  but  his  so  surely  and  so  straight  can 
sling  a  stone,"  and  hastily  they  turned  and  sought  the 
shelter  of  the  camp  again.  Meave  sat  down  beside  the 
King  to  tell  him  what  had  happened.  "  It  could  not  be 
Cuchulain,"  said  the  King ;  "he  was  far  off  on  the  other 
side  of  the  host  to-day."  Even  as  the  words  passed 
from  his  lips,  close  to  them  whizzed  a  hand-sling 
stone,  carrying  off  the  coronet  or  golden  '  mind  '  that 
bound  Meave's  hair,  but  hurting  not  so  much  as  a  lock 
upon  her  head.  "  A  bad  stroke  that,"  laughed  out  the 
fool  that  gambolled  round  the  King,  joking  to  make  him 
merry ;  "  had  I  been  he  who  shot  that  stone,  the  head 
I  would  have  taken  off  and  left  the  '  mind  '  behind." 

Hardly   were   the   words   out   of   his   foolish   mouth, 
than  a  second  stone,  coming  from  the  same  direction  as 


96 


Cuchulain 


the  first,  in  the  full  middle  of  his  forehead  struck  the  fool, 
and  carried  off  his  head,  while  at  Meave's  feet  dropped 
down  his  pointed  cap.  Then  Ailill  started  up  and  said, 
"  That  man  will  be  the  death  of  all  our  host,  before  we 
ever  step  on  Ulster's  soil.  If  any  man  henceforth  makes 
mock  at  Cuchulain,  'tis  I  myself  will  make  two  halves 
of  him.  Let  the  whole  host  press  on  by  day  and  night 
towards  the  coasts  of  Ulster,  or  not  one  of  us  will  live 
to  see  the  gates  of  Emain  Macha." 

So  day  and  night  the  camp  moved  on,  but  not  thus 
could  they  outstrip  Cuchulain  ;  march  as  they  would, 
he  still  was  there  before  them.  Yet,  though  they  chased 
and  sought  him  day  and  night,  they  caught  no  sight  of 
him  ;   only  he  cut  off  their  men. 

One  day  a  charioteer  of  Orlam,  Ailill' s  son,  was  sent 
into  a  wood  to  cut  down  poles  to  mend  the  chariots 
broken  by  the  way.  It  happened  that  Cuchulain  was  in 
this  wood,  and  he  took  the  charioteer  to  be  a  man  of 
Ulster  come  out  before  their  host  to  scout  for  them. 

"  The  youth  is  foolhardy  who  comes  so  near  the  army 
of  Queen  Meave,"  Cuchulain  thought ;  "  I  will  e'en 
go  and  warn  him  of  his  danger." 

So  he  went  forwards,  and  said,  "  And  what,  my  lad, 
art  thou  doing  here  ?  "  Not  knowing  who  it  was  who 
spoke  to  him,  the  lad  replied,  "  I  am  come  out  to  polish 
chariot-poles,  because  our  chariots  have  been  sorely 
damaged  in  our  chase  of  that  famous  wild  deer,  Cuchu- 
lain ;  and  indeed,  good  warrior,  I  am  making  all  the  haste 
I  can,  for  fear  this  same  Cuchulain  may  pounce  down 
on  me.  Certainly  he  would  make  short  work  of  me ; 
therefore,  O  Youth,  if  thou  hast  time,  lend  me  a  hand 
and  help  me  with  my  task."  "  Willingly,"  said  Cuchu- 
lain, "  will  I  help  thee.    Take  thou  thy  choice  ;   shall  I 


The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck  97 

cut  down  the  holly-poles  ?  or  shall  I  smooth  them  for 
thee  ?  "  "To  trim  them  is  the  slowest  work  ;  therefore 
while  I  hew  down  the  trees  do  thou  smooth  off  the 
branches  and  the  twigs." 

Cuchulain  set  to  work  to  trim  the  holly-poles,  and 
quickly  were  they  done.  Simply  by  drawing  them 
between  his  fingers  and  his  toes,  he  finished  them  to 
perfect  smoothness,  and  threw  them  down  without  a 
twig  or  bit  of  bark  or  any  rough  excrescence  on  the 
ground.  Closely  and  with  surprise  the  young  man 
watched  this  feat.  At  last  he  said  :  "I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  thou  art  accustomed  to  some  higher  work 
than  cutting  chariot-poles.  Who  art  thou  then  at 
all  ?  " 

"  I  am  that  notable  Cuchulain  of  whom  just  now  thou 
spakest,"  the  hero  said.  "Art  thou  indeed?  then  am 
I  but  a  dead  man,"  the  youth  cried,  trembling  as  he 
spoke  ;  "  no  one  escapes  Cuchulain's  hands  alive." 

"  Fear  nothing,"  replied  Cuchulain,  "  for  I  never  slay 
a  man  unarmed  or  charioteer.  Whose  man  art  thou, 
and  where  is  thy  master  to  be  found  ?  "  "A  servant 
I  of  Orlam,  son  of  Meave,  who  awaits  my  coming  near 
at  hand,"  replied  the  charioteer.  "  Take  him  this 
message  then,"  Cuchulain  said.  "  Tell  him  the  Hound 
of  Ulster  is  at  hand,  and  bid  him  guard  his  head,  for  if 
we  meet,  his  head  will  surely  fall." 

Then  the  charioteer,  right  glad  to  get  away,  sought  out 
his  master  with  all  haste  ;  but  before  he  could  reach 
him,  Cuchulain  had  outstripped  him,  and  struck  off 
the  head  of  Orlam,  holding  it  aloft  and  shaking  it  before 
the  men  of  Erin. 

From  that  time  forward  Cuchulain  took  up  his 
position  nearer  to  the  host,  cutting  off  and  destroying 


98 


Cuchulain 


them,  and  at  evening  he  would  brandish  and  shake  his 
weapons  before  the  army,  so  that  men  died  of  pure  fear 
of  him. 

"  Our  army  will  be  destroyed  before  ever  we  reach 
Emain  Macha,"  said  Meave  at  length.  "  If  I  could  but 
see  this  hero  who  troubles  our  armies,  and  speak  to  him 
myself,  I  would  offer  him  terms  ;  for  if  we  could  persuade 
him  to  forsa"ke  Ulster,  and  come  over  to  our  side,  it 
would  go  hard  with  us,  if  all  Ulster  would  not  be  sub- 
dued before  us,  and  ourselves  return  from  this  expedition 
the  greatest  monarch  in  Ireland."  Calling  Mac  Roth, 
her  herald,  she  said  to  him,  "  Prepare  your  chariot,  Mac 
Roth,  and  seek  out  for  us  this  Deer  of  Ill-luck  who  is 
pursuing  our  army  and  bringing  misfortune  upon  us. 
Offer  him  terms  to  forsake  the  service  of  Conor  and  to 
enter  our  own  service.  Give  him  whatever  terms  he 
asks,  and  bid  him  come  himself  to-morrow  to  confer  with 
me,  but  not  to  cross  the  glen.  Well  should  I  like  to  see 
this  mighty  man,  but  I  would  not  have  him  come  too 
near." 

"  I  care  not  to  go  on  this  embassy,"  quoth  Mac  Roth  ; 
"  besides,  I  know  not  where  to  find  Cuchulain."  "  Fer- 
gus will  know,"  said  Meave,  for  she  believed  that  Fergus 
was  in  league  with  his  foster-son,  and  she  forgave  him 
not  that  he  loved  Ulster  still,  in  spite  of  all  that  she  had 
done  for  him  ;    so  she  said,  "  Fergus  will  surely  know." 

"  I  know  not,"  said  Fergus,  "  but  this  I  know,  that 
after  any  feat  of  war  or  combat  with  an  enemy  it  is  not 
by  sleep  or  lazy  loitering  Cuchulain  rests  himself,  but  by 
exercising  in  the  open  air  and  sun,  letting  the  cool  breezes 
blow  upon  his  wearied  body.  Likely  it  is,  that  some- 
where 'twixt  the  mountains  and  the  sea  he  will  be 
found." 


The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck  99 

Mac  Roth  set  off.  Now  all  the  land  was  covered  with 
a  mantle  of  fresh  snow,  and,  true  enough,  Cuchulain 
warmed  himself  by  practising  javelin  feats  out  on  the 
mountain- side,  in  the  full  air  and  sun. 

His  charioteer  looked  forth  and  saw  a  man  approach. 
"  A  warrior  comes,  O  little  Cu,"  he  said.  "  What  sort  of 
warrior  is  he  who  comes  ?  "  Cuchulain  asked,  but  did 
not  cease  to  fling  his  javelins  in  the  air.  "  A  massive, 
goodly,  dark-faced  man,  clad  in  an  ample  mantle  of  dark 
brown,  that  fastens  at  his  throat  with  a  delicate,  richly 
ornamented  pin  of  bronze.  Beneath  the  mantle  a 
strong  coat  of  skins,  and  sandals  bound  with  leather 
thongs  are  on  his  feet.  A  sharp-edged  sword  he  carries 
in  one  hand,  and  in  the  other  holds  a  hazel-switch,  to 
keep  in  order  two  great  noble  hounds  that  play  around 
his  steps." 

"These  are  the  trappings  of  a  herald,"  said  Cuchu- 
lain ;  "  no  doubt  he  comes  from  Meave  and  Ailill  to 
propose  terms  to  us." 

Mac  Roth  came  to  the  place  where  Laeg  was  awaiting 
him.  "  Who  is  your  master,  man  ?  "  said  he.  "  My 
master  is  the  young  man  over  there ;  I  am  his  charioteer," 
replied  Laeg.  Mac  Roth  turned  half  round  and  saw 
Cuchulain.  "  And  who  may  you  serve,  my  young  man  ?  " 
quoth  he.  "I  serve  King  Conor,"  said  the  hero.  "  Can- 
not you  tell  me  something  more  precise  than  that  ?  " 
inquired  Mac  Roth  again.  "  That  much  will  serve  your 
turn,"  replied  the  youth.  "  Can  you  then  tell  me  where 
I  could  find  this  renowned  Cuchulain,  who  is  so  frighten- 
ing the  men  of  Erin  now  ?  "  pursued  Mac  Roth.  "  What 
do  you  want  to  say  to  him  that  cannot  be  said  as 
well  to  me  ?  "  "I  come  in  embassage  from  Ailill  and 
from  Meave,   with  power  to  propose  terms  of   truce, 


ioo  Cuchulain 

and  with  an  invitation  from  the  Queen  that  Cuchulain 
should  meet  and  confer  with  her."  "  What  terms  do 
you  propose  ?  "  he  asked  again.  "  With  bounteous 
offers  I  am  come  from  Meave,  promise  of  wealth  in  cattle 
and  in  flocks,  and  welcome  of  an  honoured  guest  to 
Cruachan  and  a  place  near  Meave's  own  side ;  all  this 
and  more,  if  he  will  quit  the  petty  chieftain  Conor,  and 
will  enter  her  service,  and  if,  moreover,  he  will  hold 
his  hand  from  smiting  down  our  hosts  ;  for,  in  good 
sooth,  the  nightly  thunder-feats  he  plays  upon  the 
warriors  please  not  the  host  at  all." 

Anger  came  upon  Cuchulain  to  hear  King  Conor 
styled  a  petty  chief  by  this  contemptuous  messenger  of 
Meave.  "  Go  back  to  those  who  sent  you,"  he  replied, 
"  for  if  in  truth  Cuchulain  heard  your  terms,  he  would 
reject  and  fling  them  back  with  scorn.  To-morrow  I  en- 
gage that  the  hero  will  confer  with  Meave  herself,  but  only 
if  she  come  under  the  escort  and  the  charge  of  Fergus." 

Mac  Roth  returned  with  haste,  and  in  the  camp  he 
sought  out  Connaught's  Queen.  Eagerly  she  asked, 
"  Well,  did  you  find  the  champion,  Mac  Roth  ?  "  "All 
that  I  found  was  a  terrible,  angry,  surly  fellow  airing 
himself  between  the  mountains  and  the  sea  ;  but  whether 
it  were  the  formidable  hero  of  whom  men  speak  or  no, 
indeed,  I  know  not." 

"  Did  he  accept  our  terms  ?  "  pursued  the  Queen. 
"  The  man  I  saw  rejected  them  outright,  flinging  them 
back  at  us  with  angry  scorn.  Only  he  promised  that 
to-morrow,  in  the  glen,  Cuchulain  would  be  found  to 
talk  of  terms,  but  that  you  needs  must  go  in  company 
with  Fergus." 

"  To-morrow  I  myself  will  offer  terms,"  said  Meave, 
"  and  he  will  not  refuse."     So  on  the  morrow  Meave  and 


The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck  101 

Fergus  sought  the  glen,  the  Queen  keeping  carefully  to 
the  far  side  of  the  valley, with  the  wooded  dell  between 
themselves  and  the  place  where  she  believed  Cuchulain 
would  be  found.  Eagerly  she  scanned  the  glen  on  every 
side,  expecting  on  the  opposite  ridge  to  see  a  mighty, 
ugly  warrior,  fully  armed,  who  waited  for  her  coming. 
"  Why  comes  he  not,  Fergus  ?  "  she  said  at  last.  But 
Fergus  answered  not,  for  he  was  standing  all  engrossed 
in  watching  a  young  stripling,  lithe  and  radiant,  who  on 
the  other  side  the  glen  was  practising  sling-feats,  shoot- 
ing at  the  passing  birds  that  flew  above  his  head,  and 
bringing  them  down  alive. 

"  Cuchulain  is  there  before  you,"  Fergus  said.  "  I  see 
no  one  at  all  save  one  young  lad,  who  seems  expert  in 
feats,"  replied  the  Queen  ;  "I  cannot  see  a  warrior  near 
or  far." 

"  That  young  lad  it  is  who  has  done  damage  to  your 
hosts,  however,"  was  the  reply.  "  Is  that  boy,  the  young 
boy  yonder,  the  famous  hero  of  whom  all  men  speak  ?  " 
Meave  cried  astonished.  "  Small  need,  methinks,  to  be 
afraid  of  him,  myself  will  speak  to  him  and  offer  him 
my  terms."  Then  in  a  high  and  haughty  voice,  as  when 
a  Queen  speaks  to  an  underling,  Meave  called  across  the 
valley  to  Cuchulain.  She  set  before  him  honourable 
terms  if  he  would  leave  the  service  of  King  Conor  and 
enter  hers.  Promptly,  without  an  instant's  thought,  he 
set  them  all  aside.  Then  as  he  seemed  about  to 
turn  away  to  practise  feats  again,  in  despair  the 
Queen  called  out,  "  Are  there  no  terms  whatever  that 
you  will  accept  ?  it  is  not  pleasant  to  our  people,  nor 
likes  it  them  at  all,  to  be  cut  off  and  slaughtered 
night  by  night  and  harassed  by  your  precious  thunder- 
feats." 


102  Cuchulain 

*'  I  tell  you  not  my  terms,"  replied  the  youth ;  "  it  is 
for  you  to  find  them  out  yourself." 

As  Meave  and  Fergus  drove  back  to  the  camp,  the 
Queen  asked  Fergus  if  he  knew  the  terms  Cuchulain 
would  accept. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  said  Fergus,  "  but  just  now  there 
came  into  my  mind  a  conversation  that  I  had  when 
Cuchulain  was  yet  a  child  and  in  my  house  as  foster-son. 
We  spoke  together  of  a  champion  who  had  accepted 
conditions  of  his  country's  foes,  and  I  remember  that 
Cuchulain  thought  not  well  of  him  for  doing  so.  He 
coloured  up  and  said,  '  If  I  were  offered  conditions  by 
my  country's  enemies,  these  are  the  sort  of  terms  I 
would  accept.  I  would  demand  of  them  each  day  one 
of  their  foremost  warriors  to  meet  me  at  the  ford  in 
single  combat ;  and  for  the  space  of  time  while  I  am 
hewing  down  that  man,  I  would  permit  them  to  march 
onwards  with  their  host,  and  short  would  be  that  space  of 
time,  I  ween  !  But  when  the  man  was  dead,  until  the 
sunrise  on  the  morrow's  morn,  I  would  not  have  them 
move.  Thus  I  would  keep  them  well  in  sight,  and  would 
pluck  off  their  warriors  one  by  one.  Also,'  he  said,  and 
laughed,  '  I  would  require  my  enemies  to  keep  me  well 
supplied  with  food  and  raiment  while  I  fought  with 
them  ;  so  would  there  be  much  trouble  saved,  and  with 
their  food  I  would  grow  strong  to  fight  against  them- 
selves. These  are  the  terms  that  I  would  ask,  O  foster- 
father  Fergus,  of  my  foes.'  Those  were  his  words,  O 
Queen,  when  he  was  but  a  child ;  I  trow  he  will  not  be  • 
contented  now  with  less." 

Then  Meave  said  thoughtfully  :  "It  seems  not  worse 
that  one  man  should  be  slain  each  day  than  that  a 
hundred  men  should  fall  at  night,  even  were  that  one 


The  Deer  of  Ill-Luck  103 

man  a  champion  of  our  host.  I  think  it  better  to 
accept  his  terms.  Go  back  to  him,  O  Fergus,  and 
if  he  is  agreed,  say  we  accept  and  will  abide  by 
those  conditions.  So  we  may  find  at  length  a  little 
peace." 


CHAPTER  XII 

Etarcomal's  Weil-deserved  Fate 

O  Fergus  turned  his  horses  to  go  back  where  he  had 
left  Cuchulain.  He  thought  to  go  alone,  attended 
only  by  his  charioteer,  but  as  he  drove  along,  the 
sound  of  wheels  behind  him  made  him  turn,  and  close 
to  him  he  saw  a  youth  who,  sitting  in  his  chariot,  seemed 
to  follow  hard  behind,  as  though  to  catch  him  up. 
Fergus  recognized  the  rider  as  a  rich  young  chief,  brave 
but  foolhardy,  who  was  known  among  the  host  as  one 
who  thought  too  highly  of  himself,  considering  he  had 
little  experience  of  war. 

"  Whither  away,  Etarcomal  ?  "  said  Fergus,  for  that 
was  the  youth's  name.  "  I  wish  to  go  with  you," 
replied  the  lad ;  "I  hear  that  you  are  on  your  way 
to  seek  this  wonderful  Cuchulain,  of  whom  all  men 
talk.  I  feel  inclined  myself  to  have  a  look  at 
him." 

"  I  give  you  sound  advice,"  said  Fergus,  "  and  best  it 
were  for  you  to  heed  my  words.  Turn  round  your 
chariot,  and  go  home  again." 

"  Why  so  ?  "  Etarcomal  asked.  "  Because  I  know  full 
well  that  if  you,  with  your  light-minded  insolence,  come 
into  contact  with  this  great  Hound  of  War,  in  all  his 
fierceness  and  his  terrible  strength,  trouble  will  befall. 
You  will  provoke  him  with  your  childishness,  and  ill  will 
come,  before  I  can  prevent  it.     Go  home  again,  I  will 

104 


Etarcomal's  Fate  105 

not  have  you  come."  "  If  we  fell  out,  could  you  not 
rescue  me  ?  "  Etarcomal  said.  "  No  doubt  I  should 
endeavour  to  succour  you  ;  but  if  you  seek  a  quarrel,  or 
with  your  foolish  words  provoke  Cuchulain,  I  make  no 
promises  ;  you  must  defend  yourself,  and  take  your 
chance." 

"  Truly  I  seek  no  quarrel  with  this  valiant  mighty 
chief ;  I  will  but  look  upon  his  powerful  form  and  note  his 
face,  and  then  return  with  you."  "  So  be  it,  then," 
said  Fergus,  "  let  us  on." 

Afar  off,  Laeg  espied  them  as  they  came.  He  and 
his  master  sat  beneath  the  trees  close  on  the  borders 
of  a  little  wood,  playing  a  game  of  chess  ;  but  none  the 
less  he  kept  a  sharp  lookout,  watching  where  lay  the 
distant  camp  of  Meave.  A  single  chariot  approaches 
from  the  camp,  and  furiously  it  drives  across  the  plain : 
"  I  think  he  comes  to  seek  us,  Cucuc,"  said  the  man. 
"  What  sort  is  the  rider  in  that  chariot  ?  "  questioned 
Cu.  "  I  know  him  well,  and  short  the  time  since  he  was 
here  before.  Like  to  the  side  of  a  massive  mountain, 
standing  sheer  from  out  the  plain,  the  chariot  in  which 
that  warrior  rides.  Mighty  as  the  leafy  branching  crown 
of  a  kingly  tree  which  grows  before  a  chieftain's  door, 
the  bushy,  loose,  dark-ruddy  locks  upon  that  warrior's 
head.  Around  him  is  a  mantle  of  a  noble  purple  hue, 
with  fringes  of  bright  gold,  clasped  with  a  pin  of  gleam- 
ing gold  and  set  with  sparkling  stones.  In  his  left  hand 
he  bears  his  bossy  shield  and  in  his  right  a  polished  spear, 
with  rings  of  metal  bound  from  point  to  haft.  Upon 
his  thigh  a  sword  so  long  and  great,  I  took  it  for  the 
rudder  of  a  boat,  or  for  a  rainbow  arched  across  the 
skies.  Far-travelled  and  a  man  of  might,  meseems,  the 
guest  who  cometh  here."     "  Welcome  to  me  the  coming 


106  Cuchulain 

of  this  hero  and  old  friend,"  Cuchulain  cried,  "  my 
master  Fergus,  who  approaches  us." 

"  I  see  behind  a  second  smaller  chariot,  which  seems 
to  accompany  the  massive  chariot  of  Fergus.  Spritely 
and  full  of  life  are  the  two  prancing  chariot-steeds,  and 
young  and  bright  the  man  who  sits  within." 

"  'Tis  likely  that  some  one  of  Erin's  youthful  chiefs 
has  ventured  out  to  have  a  look  at  me,  under  the 
guardianship  of  Fergus.  I  hear  they  all  are  talking  of  me 
in  the  camp.  Perhaps  he  wants  to  have  a  bout  with  me, 
good  Laeg,  but  better  were  it  that  he  stayed  at  home." 

Up  dashed  the  steeds  of  Fergus'  chariot,  and  in  an 
instant  he  had  sprung  to  earth  and  stood  beside  Cuchu- 
lain. "  Welcome,  O  Fergus,  old  familiar  friend.  Wel- 
come, my  foster-master  and  my  guardian,"  Cuchulain 
cried,  and  warmly  he  embraced  him.  "  Upon  this 
lonely  watch  that  I  am  forced  to  keep  all  solitary  and 
unaided  day  by  day  against  the  men  of  Erin,  most 
welcome  the  dear  face  of  an  old  friend." 

"  Then  thou  art  glad  indeed  ?  "  Fergus  exclaimed, 
surprised. 

"  Certainly  and  indeed,  I  am  right  glad  !  Not  much 
have  I  to  offer  in  this  wild  desert  place,  but  all  I 
have  is  fully  at  your  service.  When  o'er  the  plain  a 
flock  of  wild-duck  wings  its  way,  one  of  them  you  shall 
have,  with,  in  good  times,  the  full  half  of  another  ;  if  fish 
come  up  the  estuary,  a  whole  one  shall  be  yours,  with 
all  that  appertains  to  it ;  a  handful  of  fresh  cress  straight 
from  the  brook,  a  spray  of  marshwort  or  of  green  sorrel 
shall  be  yours  ;  'tis  all  I  have  to  give.  When  you  are 
thirsty,  from  the  running  stream  that  trickles  through 
the  sand,  you'll  get  a  drink  ;  and  if,  some  fall  of  day, 
a  hero  calls  you  to  come  down  and  wage  a  single  combat 


Etarcomal's  Fate  107 

at  the  ford,  you  shall  take  rest  and  sleep,  while  I  will 
fight  your  enemy  or  keep  watch." 

"  Truly  I  well  believe  it,"  Fergus  said.  "  Too  well  I 
know  what  straits  for  food  and  drink  have  fallen  on  thee 
in  this  raid,  and  well  I  know  thy  hospitable  mind.  But 
at  this  time  we  seek  not  food  and  drink,  nor  can  we  stay 
for  combats  or  for  rest ;  I  come  at  Ailill's  and  at  Meave's 
command,  to  tell  thee  what  we  think  are  thy  con- 
ditions, and  that  we  will  hold  and  keep  to  them." 

"  I  too  will  keep  the  compact  brought  by  Fergus' 
hand,  and  to  the  letter  I  will  carry  it  out,"  the  hero  said ; 
"  only  abide  awhile  with  me,  and  let  us  waste  a  little  time 
in  talk  of  olden  days." 

"  I  dare  not  stay  to  talk  at  this  time,  O  beloved 
foster-son,"  Fergus  replied  ;  "  the  men  of  Erin  doubt  me, 
and  will  think  that  I  am  proving  traitor  to  their  cause, 
and  betraying  them  to  thee  ;  for  well  they  know  I  love 
thee,  though,  alas  !  at  this  time  I  am  fighting  with  my 
country's  foes  and  thine.  One  thing  I  ask  of  thee  for  old 
affection's  sake,  because  thou  art  my  pupil  and  my  friend, 
that  if  at  any  moment  in  this  war,  thou  and  myself  art 
found  opposing  each  the  other  face  to  face,  thou  then 
wilt  turn  and  flee  before  me,  that  upon  my  pupil  and 
my  foster-son  I  be  not  forced  to  redden  my  sword  in 
fight.     Promise  me  this." 

"  Though  I  be  indeed  thy  pupil  and  thy  foster-son," 
replied  the  youth,  "  yet  loth  am  I  to  promise  this  ;  never 
have  I  turned  my  back  on  any  friend  or  foe,  and  to  flee 
,.  even  before  thee,  O  Fergus,  likes  me  not.  Ask  me  not 
this,  but  any  other  thing  gladly  and  joyfully  I  grant  to 
thee."  "  No  need  for  thee  to  feel  like  this,"  Fergus 
replied ;  "  no  shame  to  thee  is  what  I  contemplate,  but 
only  that  our  ancient  love  and  friendship  be  not  marred 


io8  Cuchulain 

Do  in  this  thing  but  what  I  ask,  and  I  in  my  turn,  in  the 
final  battle  of  the  Raid,  when  thou  art  wounded  sore 
and  drenched  with  blood,  will  turn  and  flee  from  thee. 
And  surely  if  the  men  of  Erin  see  Fergus  in  flight,  they 
too  will  fly,  and  all  the  host  of  Meave  will  scatter  and 
disperse,  like  clouds  before  the  sun." 

"  On  these  terms  willingly  I  give  my  word  ;  for  so  will 
Ulster  profit  by  my  flight.  Now  fare  thee  well,  good 
Fergus.  Bid  the  host  of  Meave  to  send  their  strongest 
and  their  best  to  combat  with  me,  one  by  one,  and  I  will 
give  a  good  account  to  Ulster  of  them,  or  will  die."  Then 
a  right  loving  leave  they  took  each  of  the  other,  and 
Fergus  set  out  to  return  to  the  camp. 

But  the  lad  Etarcomal  sat  on  still,  looking  at  Cuchu- 
lain, and  for  the  first  time  the  hero  noticed  him. 

"  Who  are  you,  and  what  are  you  staring  at,  fellow  ?  " 
he  asked.  "  I  look  at  you,"  he  said.  "  You  can  see  me 
easily  enough,  I  am  not  very  big.  But  if  you  knew  it, 
little  animals  can  be  dangerous  sometimes,  and  so  can  I. 
But  now  that  you  have  had  a  good  look  at  me,  tell  me 
what  you  think  of  me." 

"  I  do  not  think  much  of  you,"  Etarcomal  said.  "  You 
seem  to  me  a  very  nice,  wonderfully  pretty  youth  and 
clever  at  playing  sports  and  feats  ;  but  that  anyone 
should  think  of  you  as  a  good  warrior  or  a  brave  man, 
or  should  call  you  the  '  Hero  of  Valour  '  or  the  '  Hammer 
of  Destruction,'  that  I  cannot  understand.  I  do  not 
know,  indeed,  why  anyone  should  be  afraid  of  you.  I 
am  not  afraid  of  you  at  all." 

"  I  am  aware,"  said  Cuchulain,  "  that  you  came 
hither  under  the  protection  of  my  master  Fergus,  and 
that  he  is  surety  for  your  safe  return  ;  but  by  the  gods 
whom  I  adore,  I  swear  that  if  it  were  not  for  the  honour 


EtarcomaPs  Fate  109 

of  Fergus,  only  your  broken  bones  and  disjointed 
members  should  have  been  sent  back  to  Meave  after 
those  insolent  words." 

"  No  need  to  threaten  me,"  said  Etarcomal ;  "I  was 
here  when  you  made  an  agreement  with  Fergus  to  fight 
every  day  one  of  the  men  of  Ireland.  By  that  wonderful 
agreement  that  he  made  with  you,  none  other  of  the  men 
of  Erin  shall  come  to-morrow  to  meet  you  but  only  I 
myself.  To-day  I  do  not  touch  you,  but  let  you  live 
a  little  longer." 

"  However  early  you  may  choose  to  come  to  the  ford," 
said  Cuchulain,  "  you  will  find  me  there  before  you.  I 
promise  you  I  will  not  run  away." 

Etarcomal  turned  his  chariot  to  drive  back  to  the  camp. 
But  hardly  had  he  started  when  he  exclaimed,  "  Do 
you  know,  fellow,  I  have  promised  to  fight  the  famous 
Cuchulain  to-morrow  at  the  dawn  ?  Now,  do  you  think 
it  best  to  wait  till  then,  or  to  go  back  and  fight  him  now  1 
I  do  not  know  that  I  can  wait." 

"  I  should  say,"  replied  the  charioteer,  "  that  if  you 
mean  to  fight  Cuchulain  at  all,  'twere  better  to  get  it 
over  while  he  is  close  at  hand."  "  Turn  the  chariot, 
and  drive  it  left-handwise  towards  Cuchulain,  for  by  that 
sign  we  challenge  him.  I  swear  by  all  my  gods,  I  never 
will  go  back  until  I  take  the  head  of  this  wild  youth,  and 
stick  it  up  on  high  before  the  host." 

Laeg  saw  the  chariot  returning  over  the  plain.  "  The 
last  chariot-rider  who  went  from  us  is  coming  back 
again,  Cucuc  !  "  said  he.  "  What  does  he  want  ?  " 
said  Cu.  "  He  is  challenging  us  by  driving  with  the 
left  side  of  the  chariot  towards  us,"  answered  Laeg. 

"  I  do  not  want  to  fight  the  boy,"  Cuchulain  said. 
"  Shamed  should  I  be  were  I  to  slay  a  lad  who  came 


I  IO 


Cuchulain 


hither  under  the  guardianship  of  Fergus.  Get  me  my 
sword  out  of  its  sheath,  however,  Laeg  ;  I'll  give  him  a 
good  fright  and  send  him  home." 

Etarcomal  came  up.  "  What  do  you  want  now, 
fellow  ?  "  cried  Cuchulain,  vexed.  "  I  am  come  back 
to  fight  you,"  said  the  lad.  "  I  will  not  fight  you,  now 
or  any  time,"  Cuchulain  said.  "  By  all  the  rules  of  war 
you  are  obliged  to  fight,  for  I  have  challenged  you." 

Then  Cuchulain  took  his  sword,  and  with  one  stroke 
he  sliced  away  the  sod  beneath  Etarcomal' s  feet,  laying 
him  flat  upon  the  ground,  his  face  turned  upwards. 
"  Now  go,"  Cuchulain  said,  "  I  wash  my  hands  of  you. 
Had  you  not  come  under  the  care  of  my  good  master 
Fergus,  I  would  have  cut  you  into  little  bits  a  while  ago. 
Beware,  for  I  have  given  you  a  warning."  Slowly 
Etarcomal  rose  from  the  ground.  "  I  will  not  budge  a 
step  until  I  have  your  head,"  he  said  doggedly,  though 
in  his  heart  he  began  to  be  afraid.  Then  Cuchulain 
played  on  him  another  sword-feat ;  with  one  clean 
stroke  he  shore  off  all  his  hair,  from  back  to  front,  from 
ear  to  ear,  till  not  a  hair  remained  ;  but  not  a  single  drop 
of  blood  he  drew  or  even  scratched  his  skin.  "  Now  off 
with  you,"  he  said  a  second  time,  "  you  look  absurd 
enough,  I  promise  you.  The  men  of  Erin  and  the  chiefs 
will  laugh  when  you  go  back,  and  cool  your  pride  a  bit." 

"  I  will  not  stir  until  I  have  your  head ;  either  you  gain 
the  victory  over  me,  and  win  renown,  or  I  take  off  your 
head  from  you,  and  get  the  glory  and  the  praise  of  it," 
he  sullenly  replied. 

"  Well,  let  it  be  as  you  desire,  then,  and  I  am  he  who 
takes  your  head  from  you,  and  I  shall  win  the  glory  and 
renown  of  which  you  make  so  much."  And  at  that  word, 
with  one  stroke  of  his  weapon  Cuchulain  smote  the  boy, 


Etarcomal's  Fate  1 1 1 

and  cut  him  right  in  twain,  so  that  he  fell  divided  to  the 
ground.  Terrified,  the  charioteer  turned  round  the 
horse's  head  and  fled  back  towards  the  camp.  Close  to 
the  tents  he  came  on  Fergus,  who  leisurely  and  thought- 
fully drove  home.  He  saw  the  empty  chariot  passing 
him.  "  Where  is  your  master,  fellow  ?  "  Fergus  cried. 
"  Has  he  not  come  with  you  ?  "  "  Even  now  he  has  been 
cut  in  twain  by  that  fierce,  powerful  hero,  at  the  ford," 
the  man  cried,  looking  scared ;  and,  waiting  not  for  any 
answer,  he  tore  on  to  the  camp. 

"  O  come,  my  wild  young  fosterling,"  thought  Fergus 
to  himself,  "  this  is  too  bad  indeed,  to  slay  a  lad  who  came 
under  my  protection.  Turn  back  the  chariot,"  said  he 
aloud,  "  we  go  back  to  Cuchulain  at  the  ford." 

No  sooner  had  they  come  where  Cuchulain  stood 
brooding  above  the  body  of  Etarcomal,  and  wiping  down 
his  bloody  sword,  than  Fergus  called  aloud,  "  What  came 
to  you,  you  hasty  sprite,  you  hot-headed  young  fury  ; 
could  you  not  keep  your  hands  from  slaying  even  a  lad 
who  came  merely  to  look  at  you  and  under  my  protec- 
tion ?  This  act  of  yours  I  do  not  understand  at  all.  It 
is  not  like  the  deed  or  custom  of  my  foster-son." 

"  Be  not  so  angry,  O  my  friend  and  master,"  gently 
Cuchulain  replied ;  "all  that  I  could  I  did  to  send  him 
safely  home.  Ask  his  own  charioteer  all  that  has  taken 
place.  He  would  not  take  a  warning,  and  in  the  end 
I  must  have  stood  and  had  my  head  chopped  off  without 
defence,  or,  as  I  did,  taken  his  head  from  him.  Would  it 
have  pleased  you  better  had  I  let  the  lad  take  off  my 
head  from  me  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  I  should  not  have  been  pleased  at  all ;  the 
lad  was  insolent  and  foolhardy,  and  right  well  deserved 
his  ignominious  death.     Tie  his  feet  to  the  chariot-tail, 


112  Cuchulain 

my  charioteer,  and  I  will  take  him  home."  So  to  his  own 
chariot  Fergus  tied  the  boy,  and  dragged  him  back  to 
camp.  Meave  saw  them  come,  and  heard  the  people 
shouting  as  they  passed,  the  bleeding  body  draggled  in 
the  dust. 

"  Why,  how  is  this  ?  "  she  cried.  "  Is  this,  O  Fergus 
of  the  mighty  deeds,  the  fashion  in  which  you  bring  back 
the  tender  whelp  who  went  out  from  us  but  some  hours 
ago,  brilliant  in  life  and  gaiety  and  youth  ?  the  whelp  we 
sent  out  safely,  as  we  thought,  in  Fergus'  guardianship  ? 
Of  wondrous  value  is  the  guardianship  of  Fergus ;  and 
safe  is  he  who  trusts  himself  to  it !  " 

"It  is  not  well,  O  Queen,  that  whelps  so  brazen  and 
untried  as  this  should  face  the  Hound  of  War  ;  let  them 
remain  henceforth  in  safety  in  their  kennels,  gnawing 
their  bones.  The  lad  Etarcomal  was  bold  and  insolent ; 
full  well  he  reaped  the  fate  he  brought  upon  himself  !  " 

Sadly,  but  with  all  honour,  they  buried  Etarcomal, 
heaping  his  grave,  and  rearing  a  stone  above  it  with  his 
name  engraven  thereupon  in  ogam  lines.  That  night 
Cuchulain  did  not  molest  the  men  of  Erin  because  they 
were  occupied  with  funeral  rites  ;  but  provisions  and 
apparel  were  sent  to  him,  according  to  the  treaty  made 
between  them. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
The  Fight  with  Spits  of  Holly- Wood 


r~|~^  HENCEFORWARD  day  by  day  some  warrior 
of  the  camp  of  Meave  and  Ailill  went  forth  to 

M>.  fight  Cuchulain,  and  day  by  day  they  fell 
before  him.  But  at  first,  because  he  was  young,  the 
prime  warriors  of  Connaught  despised  him,  and  refused 
to  fight  with  him,  and  Meave  offered  them  great  gifts 
and  made  large  promises  to  persuade  them  to  contend 
with  him.  Among  the  chiefs  was  a  rough  burly  man 
and  a  good  fighter,  whose  name  was  Nacrantal,  whom 
Meave  used  all  her  arts  to  force  to  challenge  Cuchulain. 
And  in  the  end,  when  she  had  promised  him  large  gifts 
of  land  and  even  Finnabar,  her  daughter,  to  be  his  wife, 
he  was  induced  to  go.  But  even  so  he  went  not  out  as 
though  to  fight  an  equal.  No  arms  or  armour  would 
he  take,  but  for  his  sole  protection  nine  spits  of  holly- 
wood,  sharp  at  the  points  and  hardened  in  the  fire. 

With  these  small  weapons  in  his  hand,  one  morning 
early  he  set  forth  to  seek  Cuchulain.  He  found  the  hero 
busied  in  pursuing  wild-fowl  that  were  flying  overhead ; 
for  from  the  birds  of  the  air  and  fish  of  the  streams,  and 
from  the  berries  of  the  hedge  and  cresses  of  the  brook, 
long  had  he  been  obliged  to  get  his  daily  meal.  And  even 
now,  although  at  times  Meave  kept  her  word  and  sent 
provision  over  to  her  foe,  yet  often  she  forgot  or  failed 
to  keep  her  promise,  so  angry  was  she  when  from  day 

H  «3 


114  Cuchulain 

to  day  her  strong  men  were  cut  down  before  his 
sword. 

He  spied  Nacrantal  advancing  thus  unarmed,  and,  all 
as  though  he  had  not  seen  him  come,  he  went  on  with  the 
stalking  of  the  birds. 

Closer  the  warrior  drew  and  with  good  aim  he  flung 
his  spits  of  wood  to  pierce  Cuchulain.  But  still  the 
youth,  not  stopping  for  a  moment  in  his  task,  leaped 
lightly  over  each  spit  as  it  fell,  so  that  they  struck  the 
ground  quite  harmlessly,  not  one  of  them  so  much  as 
touching  him.  The  nine  spits  thrown,  Nacrantal 
turned  away  and  sought  the  camp.  "  Not  much  I  think 
of  this  renowned  Cuchulain  of  whom  men  talk  so  big ; 
hardly  had  he  perceived  me  coming  up,  than  off  he  ran 
as  fast  as  he  could  go  !  " 

"  We  thought  as  much,"  said  Meave  ;  "  right  well  we 
knew  that  if  a  warrior  brave  and  fully  trained  were  sent 
against  him,  soon  would  this  beardless  braggart  take  to 
his  heels." 

When  Fergus  heard  these  boasts  of  Meave,  he  grew 
ashamed ;  for  strange,  indeed,  it  seemed  to  him  to  hear 
it  said  that  his  young  foster-son  would  flee  from  any 
single  man,  however  bold  or  stout  that  man  might  be. 
Straightway  he  called  for  one  of  the  princes  of  Ulster 
who  was  in  Meave's  camp,  and  sent  him  to  Cuchu- 
lain. This  was  the  message  that  he  bore.  "  Fergus 
would  have  Cuchulain  understand,  that  though  when 
standing  before  warriors  he  once  had  done  great  deeds, 
better  it  were  that  he  should  hide  himself  in  some 
secret  place  where  none  could  find  him  or  hear  of  him 
more,  than  that  he  should  run  away  from  any  single 
man,  whoever  that  man  might  be.  Say  to  Cuchulain 
that  not  greater  is  the  shame  that  falls  upon  himself, 


The  Fight  with  Spits  1 1 5 

than  Ulster's  shame  and  ignominy  and  disgrace,  because 
he  stands  to  watch  the  border-land  in  Ulster's  stead." 

"  Who  said  I  ran  away  ?  "  Cuchulain  said,  surprised, 
when  the  message  was  delivered  to  him.  "  Who  dared 
to  brag  and  tell  such  tales  of  me  ?  " 

"  Nacrantal  told  this  story  in  the  camp,  and  all  the 
warriors  boast  among  themselves  that  at  the  very  sight 
of  a  trained  warrior  you  were  afraid  and  quickly  put  to 
flight." 

"  Did  you  and  Fergus  heed  a  boast  like  that  ?  " 
replied  the  youth.  "  Do  you  and  Fergus  not  yet  under- 
stand that  I,  Cuchulain,  fight  no  men  unarmed,  or 
messengers,  or  charioteers,  but  only  men-at-arms,  fully 
equipped  ?  That  man  came  out  against  me  all  unarmed  ; 
no  weapons  in  his  hand  but  bits  of  wood,  with  which  he 
played  some  childish  games,  throwing  them  in  the  air. 
Let  but  Nacrantal  come  to-morrow  morn  and  fight  me 
like  a  warrior  at  the  ford,  with  all  his  weapons,  man- 
like, in  his  hand  ;  he  then  shall  take  his  answer  back 
from  me.  And  tell  him,  that  if  he  comes  before  the  day 
dawn,  or  long  after  it,  he  will  find  Cuchulain  waiting  there 
for  him." 

Long  and  tedious  seemed  that  night  to  Nacrantal,  for 
eagerly  he  watched  the  coming  of  the  hour  when  he 
should  meet  Cuchulain  at  the  ford,  and  make  an  end  of 
him.  Early  he  rose,  and  bade  his  charioteer  to  bring  his 
heavy  weapons  in  a  cart,  while  he  went  forwards  to  the 
meeting-place.  There  at  the  ford  he  saw  Cuchulain 
stand,  awaiting  his  coming,  as  he  had  promised. 

"  Are  you  Cuchulain  ?  "  said  Nacrantal,  for  now  he 
stood  much  closer  to  him  and  observed  his  youthfulness. 

"  What  if  I  were  ?  "  said  he.  "  If  you  are  Cuchulain, 
indeed,  I  am  come  here  to  tell  you  that  I  will  not  fight 


1 1 6  Cuchulain 

with  any  beardless  boy ;  not  in  the  least  inclined  am  I 
to  carry  back  to  camp  the  head  of  a  little  playful  lamb  !  " 

"  I  am  not  the  man  you  seek  at  all,"  Cuchulain  cried ; 
"  go  round  the  hill  and  you  will  find  him  there." 

Now  while  Nacrantal  made  his  way  to  the  other  side 
of  the  hill,  Cuchulain  came  to  Laeg,  his  charioteer. 
"  Smear  me  a  false  beard  with  blackberry  juice,"  he 
said.  "  No  warrior  of  fame  will  fight  with  me,  because 
I  have  no  beard."  Laeg  took  the  juice  of  blackberries, 
and  sheep's  wool,  and  with  it  made  a  long  two -pointed 
beard,  such  as  prime  warriors  wore,  and  twined  the  ends 
and  caught  them  in  his  belt,  dyeing  it  black  with  juice. 
Then  on  the  hero  came  anger  and  his  battle-fury,  such 
as  came  on  him  when  a  combat  lay  before  him  with  a 
good  warrior,  or  when  he  alone  should  fight  a  host. 

A  subtle  change  came  over  all  his  face.  The  radiant 
youthfulness  passed  away,  and  all  the  boyishness 
Nacrantal  had  seen  a  while  ago,  and  in  its  place  a  stern 
ferocious  look,  as  of  a  prime  warrior  waiting  for  his  foe. 
His  stature  seemed  to  grow,  his  form  to  enlarge,  and 
terrible  in  its  strength  and  fierceness  was  his  aspect  as 
he  donned  his  fighting-gear.  He  grasped  his  weapons 
in  his  hand,  and  with  great  strides  he  hastened  round 
the  hill. 

So  great  his  wrath  and  eagerness  for  combat,  that  as 
he  passed  a  standing  pillar-stone  no  smaller  than  him- 
self, in  flinging  his  mantle  round  him  as  he  went  he  caught 
the  stone  up  in  his  mantle's  folds  and  carried  it  along 
with  him,  but  never  was  he  conscious  of  its  weight,  or 
even  knew  he  carried  it. 

Now  in  this  guise  Nacrantal  knew  him  not.  "Where  is 
Cuchulain?  "  inquired  he  of  the  men  who  came  with  him. 
"  The  lad  said  that  we  should  find  him  round  the  hill." 


The  Fight  with  Spits  117 

"  Cuchulain  stands  before  you  yonder,"  said  the 
Ulstermen  who  had  come  out  to  watch  the  fight. 

"  It  was  not  thus  that  he  appeared  before  me  yester- 
day," Nacrantal  said.  "  Cuchulain  seemed  a  stripling, 
and  his  beard  not  grown,  but  this  prime  warrior  hath  a 
mighty  beard." 

"  Nevertheless,  I  counsel  you,  defend  yourself  from 
this  prime  warrior,"  Fergus  replied ;  "  that  will  be 
much  the  same  to  you  as  though  you  did  contend 
with  Cuchulain  himself." 

Then  Nacrantal  made  a  furious  onset  at  Cuchulain 
with  his  sword,  but  it  struck  on  the  pillar-stone  that  he 
carried  beneath  his  cloak,  and  broke  off  short,  close  to 
his  hand.  Before  he  could  recover  from  the  thrust, 
Cuchulain  sprang  upon  him,  and  lifting  his  sword  on 
high  with  both  hands,  he  brought  it  down  on  his  ad- 
versary's head,  and  there  on  his  own  shield  he  fell  dead, 
smitten  with  one  blow.  "  Alas  !  "  said  Nacrantal  as 
he  fell,  "  they  said  true  who  said  that  you  were  the  best 
warrior  in  all  Ireland." 

From  that  time  forward,  it  was  not  easy  for  Meave  to 
get  her  men  of  war  to  enter  into  combat  with  Cuchulain  ; 
for  each  one  of  them  said,  "  Not  I ;  I  will  not  go,  why 
should  my  clan  furnish  a  man  to  go  out  to  certain 
death  ? "  So  Meave  was  forced  to  promise  great 
rewards  and  possessions  to  her  warriors  before  she  could 
induce  them  to  take  arms  against  Cuchulain. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
The  Combat  with  Ferdia 

NOW  among   the   hosts  of   Meave  was  Ferdia, 
son   of    Daman,    Cuchulain's    companion  and 
friend   when    together    they    learned    warlike 
feats  in  Shadow-land. 

All  the  while  that  Cuchulain  fought  with  the  chiefs 
of  Connaught,  Ferdia  remained  aloof,  keeping  within  his 
tent,  far  from  the  tent  of  Ailill  and  of  Meave,  whose 
ways  and  cunning  plans  he  liked  not.  For  though  against 
the  men  of  Ulster  in  general  he  would  have  aided  them, 
he  would  not  take  part  in  single  combat  against  his 
friend  and  fellow-pupil.  For  he  thought  on  his  love  for 
his  old  comrade,  and  the  days  of  youth  that  they  had 
spent  together,  and  the  conflicts  and  dangers  that  side 
by  side  they  twain  had  faced  ;  and  day  by  day  he  sent 
his  messengers  to  watch  the  righting  and  to  bring  him 
word,  for  he  feared  lest  harm  should  come  to  Cuchulain, 
fighting  alone  and  single-handed  against  all  the  mighty 
men  of  Meave.  Each  evening  came  his  watchers  back, 
bringing  him  tidings,  and  greatly  he  rejoiced  because  he 
heard  of  the  prowess  of  Cuchulain  and  of  destruction 
inflicted  on  the  hosts  of  Meave. 

But  one  day,  when  the  fighting  had  been  going  on  for 
weeks,  and  many  of  her  best  men  and  fighting  warriors 
had  been  plucked  off,  Meave  thought  of  Ferdia  ;  and  at 
the  council-meeting  of  that  night,  when  the  chief  men 

118 


The  Combat  with  Ferdia       119 

and  counsellors  met  to  settle  who  should  go  on  the 
morrow  to  fight  Cuchulain,  she  said,  "  Who  should  go, 
if  not  Ferdia,  son  of  Daman,  the  warrior  whose  valour 
and  feats  are  as  the  valour  and  feats  of  Cuchulain  himself  ? 
For  in  the  one  school  were  they  trained,  and  equal  they 
are  in  every  way,  in  courage  and  the  knowledge  of 
weapons  and  in  skill  in  feats  of  strength.  Well  matched 
these  two  would  be,  if  they  were  to  fight  together." 
And  all  the  men  of  war  said,  "It  is  a  good  thought ; 
Ferdia  shall  go." 

So  messengers  were  sent  to  Ferdia  to  bring  him  to 
Meave,  for  she  said  she  would  see  him  herself,  to  per- 
suade him  with  her  own  mouth  to  go  against  his  com- 
rade. But  when  the  heralds  came  to  the  tent  of  Ferdia, 
he  knew  well  enough  for  what  purpose  they  had  come, 
and  he  refused  to  see  them,  neither  would  he  go  with 
them  to  Meave. 

When  Meave  heard  that,  she  sent  again,  but  her 
messengers  this  time  were  not  men  of  war  and  heralds, 
but  satirists,  to  abuse  him  and  to  warn  him  that  he 
should  die  a  shameful  death,  and  that  disgrace  should 
fall  upon  him  before  all  the  host,  if  he  obeyed  not  the 
Queen's  commands.  And  they  gave  their  message  to 
Ferdia,  and  told  him  that  his  warrior  fame  would  pass 
away  from  him,  and  that  he  would  be  spoken  of  by  his 
comrades  with  ignominy  and  disgrace  if  he  did  not  come. 

When  Ferdia  heard  that  they  would  spread  evil  tales 
about  him,  and  disgrace  him  before  the  host  of  his  own 
fellow- warriors,  he  said,  "  If  I  must  die,  it  were  better 
to  die  in  fair  and  open  fight,  even  with  a  friend,  than 
to  die  disgraced,  skulking  as  a  coward  before  my  fellow- 
men  and  comrades." 

So  he  went  with  the  messengers,  and  when  he  came  to 


120  Cuchulain 

the  Queen's  tent,  all  who  were  in  the  tent,  both  great 
lords  and  nobles,  rose  up  to  receive  Ferdia,  and  he  was 
conducted  with  honour  and  reverence  to  the  presence 
of  the  Queen.  Then  the  Queen  greeted  him  and  rose  up 
and  placed  him  at  her  right  hand,  and  spoke  kindly  to 
him.  And  a  great  feast  was  made,  and  that  night  Ferdia 
was  entertained  with  right  great  dignity,  and  food  and 
pleasant  liquors  were  served  out  of  the  best,  so  that  he 
became  merry  and  disposed  to  do  all  that  Meave  de- 
manded. Then,  when  he  was  forgetful  of  all  but  the 
company  in  which  he  was,  Meave  set  before  his  mind  the 
princely  gifts  that  she  would  bestow  upon  him  if  he 
would  free  her  from  her  enemy  Cuchulain,  the  destroyer 
of  her  host.  These  were  the  great  rewards  she  offered 
him  ;  a  noble  chariot  with  steeds  such  as  befitted  a  king, 
and  a  train  of  twelve  men-at-arms,  fully  equipped,  to 
accompany  him,  as  princes  and  great  chiefs  are  accom- 
panied, wherever  he  moved.  Moreover,  she  promised 
him  lands  broad  and  fertile  on  the  plains  of  Connaught, 
free  of  tribute  or  rent  for  ever,  and  that  he  should  be  her 
own  son-in-law  and  next  the  throne,  for  she  said  that 
she  would  give  him  her  daughter  Finnabar  to  wife. 
Now  Finnabar  sat  next  to  Ferdia  at  his  left  hand,  and 
she  was  fair  to  look  upon,  with  ruddy  cheeks  and  hair  of 
gold,  and  the  garments  of  a  princess  flowing  round  her ; 
and  Ferdia  was  dazzled  with  her  beauty,  and  with  the 
lavish  offers  made  by  Meave,  until  he  was  ready  to 
promise  anything  in  life  she  wished.  And  when,  the 
banquet  over,  young  Finnabar  arose  and  filled  a  cup 
brim  full  with  mead,  and  kissed  the  cup  and  handed  it  to 
him,  he  knew  not  what  to  say.  For  still  the  memory  of 
his  youth  in  Shadow-land,  Cuchulain's  love  to  him  and 
his  love  to  Cuchulain  came  over  him  again,  and  more  than 


The  Combat  with  Ferdia        121 

half  he  loathed  what  he  had  done.  So  looking  now 
behind  and  now  before,  and  loitering  in  his  mind,  he 
said  aloud,  "  Rather,  O  Meave,  than  do  the  thing  you 
ask,  and  ply  my  warrior-hand  upon  my  friend,  I  would 
pick  out  six  champions  of  your  host,  the  best  and  bravest 
among  all  your  men,  and  fight  with  them.  With  each 
alone  or  all  together  willingly  would  I  contend." 

Then  from  her  queenly  robe  Meave  plucked  her 
brooch,  more  precious  to  her  than  any  gift,  for  all  the 
kings  and  queens  of  Connaught  had  worn  that  splendid 
brooch,  the  sign  and  symbol  of  their  sovereignty  ;  she 
stooped,  and  with  her  own  royal  hands,  she  placed  the 
glittering  jewelled  pin  in  Ferdia's  mantle. 

"  See,  warrior,"  she  said,  "  I  have  bestowed  on  you 
the  princely  dignity,  so  that  you  now  will  rank  beside 
the  King ;  and  as  for  those  six  chosen  champions  you 
have  named,  I  give  them  to  you  as  your  sureties  that 
these  our  promises  will  be  fulfilled  ;  go  now  and  fight 
Cuchulain."  At  that  Ferdia  looked  up,  and  caught  the 
glance  of  Finnabar  most  sweetly  smiling  down  into  his 
face,  and  close  beside  her  the  queen  bending  over  him, 
and  Erin's  chiefs  and  warriors  standing  round;  and  all 
his  mind  was  lifted  up  within  his  breast,  and  he  forgot 
Cuchulain  and  their  ancient  love,  and  said  :  "  Though 
in  this  fight  I  fall,  O  Queen,  I  go  to  meet  the  Hound." 

Fergus  was  standing  at  the  king's  right  hand,  and  when 
he  overheard  those  words  that  Ferdia  spoke,  fear  for  his 
foster-son  rose  in  his  heart.  For  well  he  knew  the  might 
of  Ferdia's  arms,  and  that  he  was  of  all  the  chiefs  of 
Meave  the  bravest  and  the  best,  and  well  he  knew  that 
all  the  feats  that  Scath  had  taught  to  Cuchulain,  save 
only  the  "  Gae  Bolga  "  or  Body  Spear,  she  taught  to 
Ferdia  likewise.     Ferdia  besides  was  older  than  Cuchu- 


122  Cuchulain 

lain,  and  riper  in  experience  of  war,  well-built  and 
powerful.  So  when  he  heard  those  words,  Fergus  went 
out  in  haste,  and  though  the  night  was  late  he  sprang 
into  his  chariot,  and  set  forth  to  find  Cuchulain. 

"  I  am  rejoiced  at  thy  coming,  my  good  friend 
Fergus,"  said  Cuchulain,  as  the  chariot  drew  up  beside 
him  ;  "  too  seldom  is  it  that  on  this  Raid  of  Cooley  we 
twain  meet  face  to  face." 

"  Gladly  I  accept  thy  welcome,  0  foster-son  and  pupil," 
Fergus  said.  "  I  come  to  tell  thee  who  it  is  that  on  the 
morrow  has  bound  himself  to  meet  thee  at  the  ford,  and 
urge  thee  to  beware  of  him." 

"  I  am  attentive,"  Cuchulain  answered,  "  Who  is  the 
man  who  comes  ?  " 

"  "lis  thine  own  friend,  thy  comrade  and  fellow-pupil, 
the  great  and  valiant  champion  of  the  west,  Ferdia,  son 
of  Daman,  called  of  all  men  the  '  Horn-Skin,'  so  tough 
and  strong  for  fight  is  he,  so  hard  to  pierce  or  wound 
with  sword  or  spear.  Beware  of  him,  it  may  be  even 
the  Gae  Bolga  will  not  avail  to  harm  the  flesh  of 
Ferdia." 

"  Upon  my  word  and  truly,"  cried  Cuchulain,  "  this 
is  ill  news  you  bring  ;  never  should  I  have  thought  my 
friend  would  challenge  me." 

"  We  thought  as  much,"  Fergus  replied  ;  "we  all 
avowed  thou  wouldst  not  relish  the  coming  of  Ferdia  ; 
for  of  all  warriors  that  have  hitherto  come  to  the  combat 
at  the  ford,  he  is  most  formidable  and  best  prepared. 
Be  wary,  therefore,  rest  well  this  night,  and  try  and 
prove  thine  arms ;  come  to  the  combat  fresh  and  amply 
armed." 

"  Utterly  dost  thou  mistake  my  meaning,  Fergus,  my 
friend ;  not  from  any  fear  of  him,  but  from  the  greatness 


The  Combat  with  Ferdia       1 2  3 

of  my  love  for  him,  I  hold  his  challenge  strange  and  un- 
welcome.   For  this  cause  only  I  regret  his  coming." 

"  Yet  and  in  truth,"  Fergus  replied,  "  no  shame  to  thee 
or  any  man  to  be  afraid  of  Ferdia,  for  in  his  arms  is 
strength  as  of  a  hundred  men  ;  swords  wound  him  not, 
spears  pierce  him  not,  and  tried  and  mettlesome  his 
heart  and  arms." 

"  Now  this,  O  Fergus,  deem  I  strange  indeed,  that 
thou  of  all  men  shouldst  warn  me  to  be  careful  be- 
fore any  single  warrior  in  Ireland  ;  well  it  is  that  it 
was  thee,  O  Fergus,  and  not  another  man,  who  brought 
me  such  a  warning.  From  the  beginning  of  winter  till 
the  coming  of  spring  have  I  stood  here  alone,  fighting 
each  day  a  hardy  warrior,  and  never  have  I  turned  back 
before  the  best  righting  man  whom  Meave  has  sent 
against  me,  nor  shall  I  turn  back  before  Ferdia,  O  Fergus. 
For  as  the  rush  bows  down  before  the  torrent  in  the 
midst  of  the  stream,  so  will  Ferdia  bow  down  under  my 
sword,-  if  once  he  shows  himself  here  in  combat  with  the 
Hound  of  Ulster." 

That  night  there  was  no  cheerfulness  nor  gaiety  nor 
quiet  pleasure  in  the  tent  of  Ferdia,  as  there  was  wont 
to  be  on  other  nights  ;  for  he  had  made  known  what 
Meave  had  said  to  him  and  the  command  laid  upon  him 
to  go  on  the  morrow  to  combat  with  Cuchulain  ;  and 
though  Ferdia  was  merry  and  triumphant  on  his  return, 
because  of  the  gifts  of  the  queen  and  the  affection  of 
Finnabar,  and  all  the  flattery  that  had  been  skilfully 
put  upon  him,  it  was  not  so  with  the  men  that  were  of 
his  own  household,  for  they  understood  that  wherever 
those  two  champions  of  battle,  those  two  slayers  of  a 
hundred  should  meet  together,  one  of  the  two  must  fall, 
or  both  must  fall :   and  well  they  knew  that  if  one  only 


124  Cuchulain 

should  fall  there,  it  would  not  be  Cuchulain  who  would 
give  way,  for  it  was  not  easy  to  combat  with  Cuchulain 
on  the  Raid  of  the  Kine  of  Cooley. 

As  for  Ferdia,  through  the  first  part  of  the  night,  he 
slept  heavily,  being  overcome  with  the  liquor  he  had 
taken,  and  the  fatigues  of  the  day  ;  but  towards  the 
middle  of  the  night,  he  awoke  from  his  slumber,  and 
remembered  the  combat  on  the  morrow,  and  anxiety 
and  heavy  care  began  to  weigh  him  down ;  fear  of  Cuchu- 
lain on  the  one  hand,  and  sorrow  that  he  had  promised 
to  do  combat  with  his  friend,  and  fear  of  losing  Finnabar 
and  Meave's  great  promises  on  the  other  ;  and  he  tossed 
about,  and  could  sleep  no  longer.  So  he  arose  and  called 
his  charioteer,  and  said,  "  Yoke  me  my  horses,  and  come 
with  me  ;  I  shall  sleep  better  at  the  ford."  But  his 
charioteer  began  to  dissuade  him,  "  It  would  be  better 
for  you  not  to  go,"  said  he,  "  trouble  will  come  of  this 
meeting.  It  is  not  a  small  thing  for  any  warrior  in  the 
world  to  do  combat  against  the  Bulwark  of  Ulster,  even 
against  Cuchulain."  "  Be  silent,  my  servant,"  he  said; 
"  though  the  ravens  of  carnage  croak  over  the  ford, 
ready  to  tear  my  flesh,  it  is  not  the  part  of  a  valiant  man 
to  turn  back  from  his  challenge ;  away  with  us  to  the  ford 
before  the  break  of  dawn."  So  the  horses  were  har- 
nessed and  the  chariot  yoked,  and  they  dashed  onwards 
to  the  ford.  "  Take  the  cushions  and  skins  out  of  the 
chariot,  good  my  lad,"  said  Ferdia,  "  and  spread  them 
under  me  upon  the  bank  that  I  may  take  deep  repose 
and  refreshing  sleep  upon  them ;  little  sleep  I  got  this 
night,  on  account  of  the  anxiety  of  the  combat  that  is 
before  me  on  the  morn."  So  the  servant  unharnessed 
the  horses,  and  spread  the  skins  and  chariot-cushions 
under  Ferdia,  and  yet  he  could  not  sleep. 


The  Combat  with  Ferdia       125 

"  Look  out,  lad,  and  see  that  Cuchulain  is  not  coming," 
he  said.  "  He  is  not,  I  am  sure,"  said  the  lad.  "  But 
look  again  for  certain,"  said  the  warrior.  "  Cuchulain 
is  not  such  a  little  speck  that  we  should  not  see  him  if 
he  were  there,"  replied  the  lad.  "  You  are  right,  O  boy  ; 
Cuchulain  has  heard  that  a  prime  warrior  is  coming  to 
meet  him  to-day,  and  he  has  thought  well  to  keep  away 
on  that  account." 

"  I  should  not  say  bad  things  about  Cuchulain  in  his 
absence,"  said  the  lad.  "  Do  you  not  remember  how, 
when  you  were  righting  in  Eastern  lands,  your  sword  was 
wrenched  from  you,  and  you  would  have  perished  by 
the  hands  of  your  enemies,  but  that  Cuchulain  rushed 
forward  to  recover  it,  and  he  slew  a  hundred  warriors 
on  his  path  before  he  got  your  sword  and  brought  it  back 
to  you  ?  Do  you  remember  where  we  were  that  night  ?  " 
"  I  have  forgotten,"  Ferdia  said.  "  We  were  in  the 
house  of  Scath's  steward,"  said  the  boy;  "and  do  you 
not  remember  how  the  ugly  churl  of  a  cook  hit  you  in  the 
back  with  a  three-pronged  meat-spit,  and  sent  you  out 
over  the  door  like  a  shot  ?  And  do  you  not  recollect, 
how  Cuchulain  came  into  the  house  and  gave  the  rascal 
a  blow  with  his  sword,  and  chopped  him  in  two  to 
avenge  you  ?  If  it  were  only  on  that  account,  you  should 
not  say  that  you  are  a  better  warrior  than  Cuchulain." 
"  Why  did  you  not  remind  me  of  all  these  things  before 
we  came  here  ?  "  said  Ferdia  ;  "I  doubt  whether  I 
should  have  come  if  I  had  remembered  all  this  at  first. 
Pull  up  the  cushions  under  my  head,  or  I  shall  never  get 
to  sleep.  Will  you  be  sure  to  keep  a  sharp  look-out  ?  " 
"  I  will  watch  so  well,  that  unless  men  drop  out  of  the 
clouds  to  fight  with  you,  no  one  shall  escape  me,"  said 
the  boy ;  "  and  I  will  sing  you  to  sleep  with  a  lullaby." 


i  2  6  Cuchulain 

Then  as  Ferdia  sank  into  repose  and  refreshing  slumber, 
he  began  to  croon  this  ancient  song  which  Grainne  sang 
over  Dermot,  when  he  was  hiding  from  Finn  in  the 
forests  of  the  west. 


"  Sleep  a  little,  a  little  little,  thou  need'st  feel  no  fear  or  dread, 
Youth  to  whom  my  love  is  given,  I  am  watching  near  thy  head. 

Sleep  a  little,  with  my  Messing,  Dermot  of  the  lightsome  eye, 

I  will  guard  thee  as  thou  dreamest,  none  shall  harm  while  I  am  by. 

Sleep,  O  little  lamb,  whose  home-land  was  the  country  of  the  lakes, 
In   whose   womb   the   torrents   rumble,   from   whose   sides   the  river 
breaks. 

Sleep  as  slept  the  ancient  Poet,  Dedach,  minstrel  of  the  South, 
When  he  snatched   from   Conall   Cernach,    Eithne   of  the   laughing 
mouth. 

Sleep  as  slept  the  comely  Finncha  'neath  the  falls  of  Assaroe, 

Who,  when  stately  Slaine  sought  him,  laid  the  Hard-head  Failbe  low. 

Sleep  in  joy,  as  slept  fair  Aine,  Gailan's  daughter  of  the  West, 
Where,  amid  the  flaming  torches,  she  and  Davac  found  their  rest. 

Sleep  as  Dega,  who  in  triumph,  'ere  the  sun  sank  o'er  the  land, 
Stole  the  maiden  he  had  craved  for,  plucked  her  from  fierce  Decell's 
hand. 

Fold  of  Valour,  sleep  a  little,  Glory  of  the  Western  World, 

I  am  wondering  at  thy  beauty,  marvelling  how  thy  locks  are  curled. 

Like  the  parting  of  two  children,  bred  together  in  one  home, 
Like  the  breaking  of  two  spirits,  if  I  did  not  see  you  come. 

Swirl   the  leaves  before  the  tempest,  moans  the  night-wind  o'er  the 

lea, 
Down  its  stoney  bed  the  streamlet  hurries  onward  to  the  sea. 


The  Combat  with  Ferdia       127 

In  the  swaying  boughs  the  linnet  twitters  in  the  darkling  light, 
On  the  upland  wastes  of  heather  wings  the  grouse  its  heavy  flight. 

In  the  marshland  by  the  river  sulks  the  otter  in  its  den, 
And  the  piping  of  the  peeweet  sounds  across  the  distant  fen. 

On  the  stormy  mere  the  wild-duck  pushes  outward  from  the  brake. 
With  her  downy  brood  around  her  seeks  the  centre  of  the  lake. 

In  the  east  the  restless  roe-deer  bellows  to  its  frightened  hind, 
On  thy  track  the  wolf-hounds  gather,  sniffing  up  against  the  wind. 

Yet,  O  Dermot,  sleep  a  little,  this  one  night  our  fear  hath  fled5 
Lad  to  whom  my  love  is  given,  see,  I  watch  beside  thy  bed." 


CHAPTER  XV 
The  Fall  of  Ferdia 

ON  that  night  before  the  conflict,  Cuchulain  also 
was  preparing  himself  for  what  lay  before  him 
on  the  morrow.  No  sooner  had  Fergus  left 
him,  than  Laeg  his  charioteer  came  to  him,  and  said, 
"  How,  my  master,  will  you  spend  this  night  ?  "  "I 
had  not  thought,"  said  Cuchulain,  "  of  spending  it  in 
any  other  way  than  other  nights.  What  would  you  have 
me  do  ?  " 

"  I  am  thinking,"  said  the  charioteer,  "  that  Ferdia 
will  not  come  alone  to  the  ford  to-morrow,  but  that 
in  such  a  fight  as  this,  the  chief  warriors  and  nobles 
of  Ireland  will  be  present  to  see  the  combat.  And  sure 
am  I  that  Ferdia  will  come  to  the  combat  washed 
and  bathed,  with  his  hair  fresh  cut  and  plaited,  in  all 
the  magnificence  of  a  battle- champion ;  but  you  are 
fatigued  and  worn  after  these  combats,  unwashed 
and  uncombed,  for  it  has  not  been  possible  to  adorn 
yourself  in  these  times  of  strife  and  lonely  living.  Glad 
should  I  be,  therefore,  if  you  would  return  to  your  wife, 
to  Emer  of  the  beautiful  hair,  where  she  is  awaiting 
you  at  Slieve  Fuad,  and  there  adorn  yourself,  so  that 
you  may  not  appear  dishevelled  and  distressed  before 
the  men  of  Erin."  So  that  night  Cuchulain  went  home 
to  Emer,  and  gentle  and  loving  was  she  to  him  after 
their  separation  from  each  other  ;   and  very  early  in  the 

188 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  129 

morning  he  returned  refreshed  and  comforted  to  the 
place  where  he  had  been  encamped.  "  Harness  our 
horses  for  us  now,  O  Laeg,  and  yoke  our  war-chariot, 
for  an  early-rising  champion  was  Ferdia  in  the  old  time. 
If  he  is  waiting  for  us  at  the  ford,  maybe  he  is  thinking 
the  morning  long." 

So  the  chariot  was  yoked  and  Cuchulain  sprang  into 
it,  and  with  the  speed  of  a  swallow,  or  of  a  wild  deer 
flying  before  the  hounds,  he  set  forth  to  the  place  of 
conflict.  And  round  the  head  of  the  High  Rock  and 
Bulwark  of  Ulster,  even  Cuchulain,  there  gathered  the 
Fairy  People  of  the  Glens  and  the  Wild  Wizard  Folk 
of  the  air  and  mists,  and  the  demon  sprites  of  war  and 
battle,  shouting  and  screaming  before  the  impending 
conflict ;  they  hovered  over  him  and  around  him,  as  it 
was  their  wont  to  do  when  he  went  to  mortal  combat, 
and  the  air  was  filled  with  their  noises  and  hoarse  wailings, 
rejoicing  in  the  slaughter. 

Soon,  indeed,  the  charioteer  of  Ferdia  heard  the  up- 
roar, and  he  arose  and  began  to  awaken  his  master, 
chanting  a  song  in  praise  of  Cuchulain,  and  calling  on 
Ferdia  to  arise  and  meet  him.     Then  Ferdia  sprang  up. 

"  How  looks  Cuchulain  this  morning  ?  "  he  cried. 
"  Surely  weak  and  faint  he  comes  to  the  ford,  after  a 
whole  winter  passed  in  combating  the  men  of  Erin." 

"  Not  with  signs  of  weakness  or  of  faintness  advances 
the  warrior  towards  us,"  the  charioteer  replied,  "  but 
with  clangour  of  arms  and  clatter  of  wheels  and  the 
trampling  of  horses  equal  to  a  king's,  this  warrior 
draweth  nigh.  The  clanking  of  the  missile-shields  I 
hear,  and  the  hiss  of  spears,  the  roll  of  the  chariot  with 
the  beautiful  silver  yoke.  Heroic  the  champion  who 
urges  on  the  steeds,  a  noble  hawk  of  battle,  a  martial 


130  Cuchulain 

hero,  a  Hound  of  Combat.  A  year  agone  I  knew  that 
he  would  come,  the  stay  of  Emain,  Ulster's  watchful 
Hound.  Over  Bray  Rossa  I  perceive  him  come,  skirting 
the  hamlet  of  the  Ancient  Tree,  along  the  broad  high- 
way ;  the  Hound,  the  Hound  of  Ulster  in  his  might." 

"  O  come,  fellow,  have  done  with  this  belauding  of 
our  enemy ;  methinks  a  bribe  has  passed  from  him  to 
you,  to  bid  you  sing  his  praises.  He  has  slept  sound, 
no  doubt,  for  he  is  late.  I  tire  of  waiting  here  to  kill 
him.     Let  us  get  ready  now  at  once  to  meet  him." 

Then  Cuchulain  drew  up  on  the  borders  of  the  ford. 
And  on  his  way  he  had  appealed  to  his  charioteer, 
instructing  him  that  should  he  grow  weak  in  the  fight, 
or  seem  to  be  giving  way  before  Ferdia,  he  was  to  taunt 
him  with  cowardice,  and  fling  reproaches  and  bad  names 
at  him,  so  that  his  anger  would  arise  and  he  would  fight 
more  valiantly  than  before ;  but  if  he  were  doing  well, 
his  charioteer  was  to  stand  upon  the  brink  and  praise 
him,  to  keep  his  spirits  up.  And  Laeg  laughed  and 
said,  "  Is  it  on  this  wise  that  I  must  taunt  thee  ?  '  Arise, 
Cuchulain,  a  yearling  babe  would  fight  better  than  thou  ; 
that  man  Ferdia  overthrows  thee  as  easily  as  a  cat  waves 
her  tail ;  like  foam  dancing  on  the  water,  he  blows  thee 
along ;  he  pulls  thee  about  as  a  mother  might  play  with 
her  little  boy  !  '     How  will  that  do  ?  " 

"  That  will  do  very  well,"  said  Cuchulain,  laughing 
also  ;  "  surely  I  shall  fight  better  after  that."  And  with 
that  they  came  to  the  ford,  and  Cuchulain  drew  up  upon 
the  north  side,  and  Ferdia  on  the  south  side  of  the  stream. 

"  What  has  brought  thee  hither,  O  Cua  ?  "  said 
Ferdia.  Now  Cua  means  "  squint-eyed,"  and  Ferdia 
called  him  by  this  scoffing  name,  because  he  wished  to 
appear  bold  and  unconcerned,  though  in  his  heart  he 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  1 3 1 

feared  and  was  ashamed;  yet  he  liked  not  to  show 
his  fear.  "  Welcome  thy  coming,  O  squint-eyed 
one." 

But  Cuchulain  answered  seriously,  "  Up  to  to-day,  O 
Ferdia,  no  greeting  would  have  been  more  welcome  than 
greeting  of  thine,  for  I  should  have  esteemed  it  the  wel- 
come of  a  friend.  To-day,  however,  I  do  not  count  it 
such.  And  indeed,  Ferdia,  more  fitting  would  it  have 
been  that  I  should  offer  welcome  to  thee,  than  that  thou 
shouldst  offer  it  to  me,  seeing  that  it  is  thou  who  hast 
intruded  into  my  province  and  not  I  into  thine.  It  was 
for  me  to  challenge  thee  to  fight,  and  not  for  thee  to 
challenge  me." 

"  What  induced  thee  to  come  to  this  combat  at  all,  O 
Cuchulain,"  replied  Ferdia,  "  as  though  thou  wert  mine 
equal  ?  Dost  thou  not  remember,  that  in  the  old  days 
when  we  were  with  Sc&th,  thou  wast  in  attendance  on 
me  as  my  pupil,  and  thy  place  it  was  to  tie  up  my 
javelins  for  me,  and  to  make  my  couch  ?  " 

"  That  indeed  is  true,"  Cuchulain  answered  gravely ; 
"  for  I  was  in  those  years  thy  junior  in  age  and  standing, 
in  feats  and  in  renown.  I  did  then  but  my  duty.  But 
to-day  it  is  no  longer  so ;  there  is  not  now  in  the  world 
any  champion  to  whom  I  am  not  equal,  or  whom  I 
would  refuse  to  fight.  O  Ferdia,  my  friend,  it  was  not 
well  for  thee  that  thou  didst  listen  to  the  enticements  of 
Ailill  and  of  Meave,  urging  thee  to  come  out  and  fight 
with  me.  When  we  were  with  Scath  it  was  side  by 
side  that  we  went  to  every  battle  and  every  battle-field, 
to  conflicts  and  to  feats  of  war.  Together  we  wandered 
through  strange  unknown  lands,  together  we  en- 
countered dangers  and  difficulty ;  in  all  things  we  stood 
side  by  side,  aiding  and  supporting  one  another. 


32  Cuchulain 


"  We  were  heart's  companions 

Comrades  in  assemblies, 
Brothers,  who  together 

Slept  the  dreamless  sleep. 
In  all  paths  of  peril, 

In  all  days  of  danger, 
Each  of  us,  as  brothers, 

Would  his  brother  keep." 

"  O  Cuchulain  of  the  beautiful  feats,"  Ferdia  replied, 
"  though  together  we  have  learned  the  secrets  of  know- 
ledge, and  though  I  have  listened  now  to  thy  recital  of 
our  bonds  of  fellowship,  it  is  from  me  that  thy  first 
wounds  shall  come ;  think  not  upon  our  old  comrade- 
ship, O  Hound,  for  it  shall  not  profit  thee  ;  O  Hound,  it 
shall  not  profit  thee.  We  lose  our  time  in  this  wise ; 
let  us  choose  our  weapons  and  begin.  What  arms  shall 
we  use  to-day,  O  Cuchulain  ?  " 

"  It  is  thine  to  choose  our  arms  to-day,  for  it  was  thou 
who  first  didst  reach  the  ford." 

"  Dost  thou  remember,"  said  Ferdia,  "  the  missile 
weapons  we  used  to  practise  with  Scath  ?  "  "  Full 
well  I  remember  them,"  said  Cuchulain. 

"  If  thou  dost  remember  them,  let  us  have  recourse 
to  them  now,"  said  Ferdia. 

So  they  took  in  their  hands  their  two  great  protect- 
ing shields,  engraved  with  emblematic  devices,  to  cover 
their  bodies,  and  their  eight  small  sharp-edged  shields 
to  throw  horizontally,  and  their  eight  light  javelins, 
and  their  eight  dirks  with  ivory  handles,  and  their  eight 
little  darts  for  the  fight.  Backward  and  forward  flew 
the  weapons  between  them  like  bees  on  the  wing  on 
a  sunny  day.  From  the  dim  light  of  early  dawn  until 
midday  they   continued  to  throw  those  weapons,  yet 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  133 

although  their  aim  was  so  good  that  not  one  of  them 
missed  its  mark,  so  skilful  also  was  the  defence,  that  not 
a  drop  of  blood  was  drawn  on  either  side  ;  all  the  missiles 
being  caught  full  on  their  protecting  shields. 

"  Let  us  drop  these  feats  now,  O  Cuchulain,"  said  his 
adversary,  "  for  it  is  not  by  them  that  our  contest  will  be 
decided." 

"  Let  us  drop  them,  indeed,  if  the  time  be  come." 
Then  they  ceased  from  casting,  and  threw  their  weapons 
into  the  hands  of  their  charioteers. 

"  What  weapons  shall  we  resort  to  next,  O  Cuchu- 
lain ?  "   said  Ferdia. 

"  With  thee  is  the  choice  of  weapons  to-day,"  said 
Cuchulain  again. 

"  Let  us  then  take  our  straight,  polished,  hardened 
spears,"  said  Ferdia,  "  with  their  flaxen  strings  to  cast 
them  with."  So  they  took  their  great  protecting  shields 
in  their  hands,  and  their  well-trimmed  spears,  and  they 
continued  to  shoot  and  harass  each  other  from  the  full 
middle  of  the  day  till  eventide.  And  although  the 
defence  was  not  less  careful  than  before,  yet  was  the 
casting  so  good,  that  each  of  them  drew  blood  and 
inflicted  wounds  upon  the  other  that  afternoon. 

"  Let  us  now  stop  casting  for  the  present,  O  Cuchu- 
lain," said  his  adversary.  "  Let  us  stop,  indeed,  for  the 
evening  has  come." 

They  ceased,  and  threw  their  weapons  into  their 
charioteers'  hands,  and  they  ran  towards  each  other,  and 
each  put  his  hands  round  his  comrade's  neck,  and  they 
gave  three  loving  kisses  of  old-time  friendship  to  each 
other  before  they  separated  for  the  night.  That  night 
their  horses  were  stabled  in  the  same  paddock,  and  their 
charioteers  lay  beside  the  same  fire ;    and  for  the  two 


134  Cuchulain 

combatants  their  charioteers  spread  beds  of  green  rushes, 
with  pillows  such  as  are  needed  for  wounded  men.  And 
the  wise  physicians  and  men  of  healing  came  to  heal 
and  tend  them,  and  they  applied  salves  made  from  plants, 
such  as  wise  men  know,  to  their  hurts  and  gashes,  and 
soothing  herbs  to  their  wounds ;  and  of  every  herb  and 
soothing  salve  that  was  applied  to  the  wounds  of  Cuchu- 
lain, he  sent  an  equal  portion  over  the  ford  to  Ferdia, 
so  that  no  man  among  the  host  of  Meave  should  be  able 
to  say,  if  Ferdia  fell  by  him,  that  it  was  because  Cuchu- 
lain had  better  means  of  healing  than  he.  Also  of  every 
kind  of  food  and  of  pleasant  delicious  drink  that  the  men 
of  Erin  sent  to  Ferdia,  he  would  send  a  fair  half  over  the 
ford  northward  to  Cuchulain,  because  Cuchulain  had 
few  to  attend  to  his  wants,  whereas  all  the  people  of 
Meave's  host  were  ready  to  help  Ferdia. 

So  for  that  night  they  rested,  but  early  the  next 
morning  they  arose  and  came  forward  to  the  ford  of  com- 
bat. "  What  weapons  shall  we  use  to-day,  O  Ferdia  ?  " 
said  Cuchulain.  "  Thine  is  the  choice  to-day,"  said 
Ferdia,  "  because  I  chose  yesterday." 

"  Let  us  then  take  our  broad-bladed  heavy  spears 
to-day,  for  more  grave  will  be  the  fight  between  us  from 
the  thrusting  of  our  massive  spears,  than  from  the 
shooting  of  our  light  casting  weapons  yesterday,  and  let 
our  chariots  be  yoked  and  our  horses  harnessed,  that  we 
may  fight  to-day  from  our  chariots."  "  Let  us  do  so," 
said  the  other. 

Then  the  two  warriors  took  their  great  protecting 
shields  in  their  hands,  and  their  broad-bladed  spears, 
and  they  continued  to  thrust  at,  to  wound  and  pierce 
each  other  from  the  dim  light  of  early  morning  till  the 
close  of  day. 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  135 

Great  and  gaping  cuts  and  wounds  were  upon  both  of 
them  before  the  evening- tide.  Even  their  horses  were 
exhausted,  and  the  heroes  themselves  were  fatigued  and 
worn  out  and  dispirited.  At  length  Cuchulain  said, 
"  O  Ferdia,  let  us  now  cease  from  this,  for  even  our  very 
horses  are  fatigued,  and  our  charioteers  are  exhausted. 
We  are  not  like  the  Fomors,  the  giants  of  the  sea,  who 
must  be  for  ever  combating  against  each  other  ;  let  the 
clamour  of  battle  now  cease  between  us,  and  let  us  be 
friends  once  more." 

And  Ferdia  said,  "  Let  us  be  at  peace,  indeed,  if  the 
time  has  come." 

Then  they  ceased  fighting,  and  threw  their  arms  into 
the  hands  of  their  charioteers,  and  they  ran  to  each  other, 
and  each  of  them  put  his  arms  about  the  neck  of  the 
other,  and  gave  him  three  loving  kisses  of  old  friendship. 

Their  horses  were  again  in  the  same  paddock  that 
night,  and  their  charioteers  slept  by  the  same  fire  ;  and 
beds  of  green  rushes  were  made  for  the  warriors,  with 
pillows  to  ease  their  wounds  ;  for  their  injuries  that 
night  were  so  terrible,  that  the  men  of  healing  and  the 
physicians  could  do  nothing  for  them  except  to  try  to 
stanch  the  blood  that  flowed  from  them  with  charms 
and  incantations. 

And  of  all  the  charms  and  healing  salves  that  were 
applied  to  sooth  Cuchulain,  he  bade  them  take  the  same 
to  Ferdia,  and  of  every  sort  of  dainty  food  and  of 
pleasant  satisfying  drink  that  Ferdia  received,  he  sent 
a  good  half  to  Cuchulain. 

That  night  they  rested  as  well  as  they  could  for  their 
wounds,  but  early  in  the  morning  they  arose  and  re- 
paired to  the  ford  of  combat.  Cuchulain  saw  an  evil 
look  and  a  dark  lowering  brow  upon  the  face  of  Ferdia 


136  Cuchulain 

that  day.  "  111  dost  thou  look  to-day,  O  Ferdia,"  said 
Cuchulain.  "  Thy  hair  seems  to  have  become  darkened, 
or  is  it  clots  of  blood  I  see  ?  Thine  eye  is  dimmed,  and 
thy  own  bright  face  and  form  have  gone  from  thee.  A 
deep  disgrace  it  is  in  thee  to  have  come  out  to  fight  with 
thy  fellow-pupil ;  not  Finnabar's  beauty,  nor  the  praises 
of  Meave  or  Ailill,  nor  all  the  wealth  of  the  world,  would 
have  brought  me  out  to  fight  with  thee,  my  comrade  and 
my  friend.  Turn  now  back  from  this  fight  to-day,  for  a 
fight  to  death  it  must  be  between  us,  and  I  have  not 
the  heart  to  fight  against  thee  ;  my  strength  fails  me 
when  I  think  of  the  evil  that  will  befall  thee  ;  turn  back, 
turn  back,  O  friend,  for  false  are  the  promises  of  Finnabar 
and  Meave." 

"  O  Cuchulain,  gentle  Hound,  O  valiant  man,  O  true 
champion,  bid  me  not  return  till  the  fight  be  done.  Ill 
would  it  become  me  to  return  to  Ailill  and  to  Meave 
until  my  task  be  done.  It  is  not  thou  who  dost  work  me 
ill,  O  Cu  of  gentle  ways  ;  take  the  victory  and  fame  that 
are  thine  by  right,  for  thou  art  not  in  fault.  Meave  it  is 
who  is  my  undoing  ;  but  for  all  that  I  shrink  not  from 
the  contest.  My  honour,  at  least,  will  be  avenged  ;  no 
fear  of  death  afflicts  me.  There  is  a  fate  that  brings 
each  one  of  us  to  the  place  of  our  final  rest  in  death,  a 
fate  none  may  resist.  Reproach  me  not,  O  gentle  friend 
and  comrade,  but  let  us  fight  the  combat  out  to-day,  as 
becomes  two  valiant  men  and  warriors." 

"  If  it  must  be  so,  what  weapons  shall  we  use  ?  " 
"  Let  us  to-day  take  to  our  heavy  smiting  swords  ; 
for  sooner  shall  we  attain  the  end  of  our  conflict  by  hew- 
ing with  our  swords,  than  by  the  thrusting  of  our  spears 
yesterday."  "  Let  it  be  so,"  said  Cuchulain.  So  all 
that  day  they  hewed  and  hacked  each  other  with  their 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  137 

long,  two-edged,  heavy  swords,  and  at  evening  they  were 
wounded  and  torn  from  head  to  foot,  so  that  it  was  hard 
to  see  a  whole  place  on  either  of  them. 

"  Let  us  cease  now,  O  Cuchulain,"  said  Ferdia.  "  Let 
us  cease,  indeed,  if  the  time  be  come,"  he  said. 

They  threw  their  arms  into  the  hands  of  their  chario- 
teers, and,  though  pleasant  and  cheerful  had  been  the 
first  meeting  of  those  two,  it  was  in  sadness  and  misery 
that  they  parted  that  night. 

That  evening  their  horses  were  not  placed  in  the 
same  paddock,  nor  did  their  charioteers  sleep  beside  the 
same  fire,  but  the  charioteer  of  Cuchulain  slept  with  his 
master  on  the  north  of  the  ford,  and  the  charioteer  of 
Ferdia  slept  on  the  south  side  of  the  ford. 

Next  morning  Ferdia  went  forth  alone  to  the  ford 
of  battle,  for  he  knew  that  on  that  day  the  combat  would 
be  decided ;  that  then  and  in  that  place  one  of  them  or 
both  of  them  would  fall. 

On  that  day  both  heroes  put  on  their  full  fighting 
array,  their  kilts  of  striped  silk  next  their  skin,  and  a  thick 
apron  of  brown  leather  above  that  to  protect  the  lower 
part  of  the  body.  And  they  put  on  their  crested  battle- 
helmets,  with  jewels  of  rubies  and  carbuncles  and  crystals 
blazing  in  the  front,  gems  that  had  been  brought  from 
the  East  to  Ireland.  And  they  took  their  huge  shields 
which  covered  the  whole  body,  with  great  bosses  in  the 
centre  of  each  shield,  and  their  swords  in  their  right 
hands,  and  thus  they  came  forward  to  the  battle.  And 
as  they  went  they  displayed  the  many  noble,  quick- 
changing  feats  that  Scath  had  taught  them,  and  it 
was  difficult  to  tell  which  of  them  exceeded  the  other 
in  the  performance  of  those  skilful  weapon-feats. 

Thus  they  came  to  the  ford.     And  Cuchulain  said  : 


138  Cuchulain 

"  What  weapons  shall  we  choose  this  day,  O  Ferdia  ?  " 
"  Thine  is  the  choice  to-day,"  said  he.  Then  Cuchulain 
said,  "  Let  us  then  practise  the  Feat  of  the  Ford." 

"  We  will  do  so,"  said  Ferdia;  but  though  he  said  that, 
sorrowful  was  he  in  saying  it,  for  he  knew  that  no  warrior 
ever  escaped  alive  from  Cuchulain  when  they  practised 
the  Feat  of  the  Ford. 

Terrible  and  mighty  were  the  deeds  that  were  done 
that  day  by  those  two  heroes,  the  Champions  of  the  West, 
the  pillars  of  valour  of  the  Gael.  Quietly  they  used 
their  weapons  in  the  early  morning,  parrying  and  casting 
with  skill  and  warily,  and  neither  did  great  harm  to  the 
other  ;  but  about  midday,  their  anger  grew  hot,  and 
they  drew  nearer  to  each  other,  and  Cuchulain  sprang 
upon  his  adversary,  and  made  as  though  he  would  cut 
off  his  head  over  the  rim  of  his  shield.  But  Ferdia  gave 
the  shield  a  stroke  upward  with  his  left  knee,  and  cast 
Cuchulain  from  him  like  a  little  child,  and  he  fell  down 
on  the  brink  of  the  ford.  Now  Cuchulain's  charioteer, 
who  was  watching  the  combat  from  the  bank,  saw  this, 
and  he  began  to  reproach  Cuchulain  as  his  master  had 
bade  him  do,  if  he  should  give  way  in  the  fight. 

"  Ah,  indeed,"  said  Laeg,  "  this  warrior  can  cast  the 
Hound  of  Ulster  from  him  as  a  Woman  tosses  up  her 
child  ;  he  flings  thee  up  like  the  foam  on  a  stream ;  he 
smites  thee  as  the  woodman's  axe  fells  an  oak  ;  he  darts 
on  thee  as  a  hungry  hawk  pounces  on  little  birds.  Hence- 
forth thou  hast  no  claim  to  be  called  brave  or  valorous 
as  long  as  thy  life  shall  last,  thou  little  fairy  phantom  !  " 

When  Cuchulain  heard  these  scoffing  words,  up  he 
sprang  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind,  with  the  fierce- 
ness of  a  dragon,  and  with  the  strength  of  a  lion,  and  his 
countenance  was  changed,  and  he  became  mighty  and 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  139 

terrible  in  appearance,  towering  like  a  Giant  or  like  a 
Fomor  of  the  sea  above  Ferdia.  A  fearsome  fight  they 
made  together,  gripping  and  striking  each  other  from 
middle  day  to  fall  of  eve  ;  and  their  charioteers  and  the 
men  of  Erin  who  stood  by  shivered  as  they  watched  the 
conflict.  So  close  was  the  fight  they  made  that  their 
heads  met  above  and  their  feet  below,  and  their  arms 
around  the  middle  of  their  mighty  shields.  So  close 
was  the  fight  they  made,  that  their  shields  were  loosened 
at  their  centres,  and  the  bosses  that  were  on  them 
started  out.  So  close  was  the  fight  they  made,  that  their 
spears  and  swords  were  bent  and  shivered  in  their  hands. 
The  fairy  people  of  the  glens  and  the  wild  demon  folk 
of  the  winds,  and  the  sprites  of  the  valleys  of  the  air, 
screamed  from  the  rims  of  their  shields  and  from  the 
points  of  their  spears  and  from  the  hafts  of  their  swords. 
So  closely  were  they  locked  together  in  that  deadly 
strife,  that  the  river  was  cast  out  of  its  bed,  and  it  was 
dried  up  beneath  them,  so  that  a  king  or  a  queen  might 
have  made  a  couch  in  the  middle  of  its  course  without  a 
drop  of  water  falling  on  them,  though  drops  of  blood 
might  have  fallen  on  them  from  the  bodies  of  the  two 
champions  contending  in  the  hollow  of  the  stream. 
Such  was  the  terror  of  the  fight  they  made,  that  the 
horses  of  the  Gaels  broke  away  from  their  paddocks, 
bursting  their  bonds  and  rushing  madly  in  their 
fright  into  the  woods,  and  the  women  and  young 
people  and  camp  followers  fled  away  southwards  out  of 
the  camp. 

Just  at  that  time  Ferdia  caught  Cuchulain  in  an  un- 
guarded moment,  and  he  smote  him  with  a  stroke  of  his 
straight-edged  sword,  and  buried  it  in  his  body,  so  that 
his  blood  streamed  down  to  his  girdle,  and  all  the  bottom 


140  Cuchulain 

of  the  ford  became  crimsoned  with  his  blood.  So  rapid 
were  the  strokes  of  Ferdia,  blow  after  blow,  and  cut  after 
cut,  that  Cuchulain  could  abide  it  no  longer.  And  he 
turned  to  Laeg,  and  asked  him  to  give  him  the  Gae 
Bolga.  Now,  when  the  Gae  Bolga  was  laid  upon  the 
water,  it  would  move  forward  of  itself  to  seek  its  enemy, 
and  no  one  could  stand  before  its  deadly  dart.  So  when 
Ferdia  heard  Cu  ask  for  the  Gae  Bolga,  he  made  a  down- 
ward stroke  of  his  shield  to  protect  his  body.  But  when 
Cuchulain  saw  that,  he  flung  his  spear  above  the  shield 
and  it  entered  the  hero's  chest ;  and  as  he  fell,  the  Gae 
Bolga  struck  him  and  entered  his  body  from  below. 
"  It  is  all  over  now,  I  fall  by  that,"  said  Ferdia.  "  But 
alas  that  I  fall  by  thy  hand.  It  is  not  right  that  I  should 
die  by  thee,  O  Hound." 

But  Cuchulain  ran  towards  him,  and  clasped  him  in 
his  two  arms,  and  carried  him  in  his  fighting  array  across 
the  ford  to  the  Northern  side  of  the  stream  and  laid  him 
down  there.  And  over  Cuchulain  himself  there  came  a 
weakness  and  faintness  when  he  saw  Ferdia  lying  dying 
at  his  feet,  and  he  heeded  not  the  warnings  of  his  chario- 
teer telling  him  that  the  men  of  Erin  were  gathering 
across  the  ford  to  do  battle  with  him  and  to  avenge  the 
death  of  their  champion.  For  Cuchulain  said,  "  What 
availeth  me  to  arise,  now  that  my  friend  is  fallen  by  my 
hand  ?  For  when  we  were  with  Scath,  Mother  of  great 
gifts,  we  vowed  to  each  other  that  for  ever  and  for 
ever  we  should  do  no  ill  to  each  other.  And  now  alas  ! 
by  my  hand  hast  thou  fallen,  my  comrade,  through  the 
treachery  of  the  men  of  Erin,  who  sent  thee  to  thy  fate. 
And  oh  !  Ferdia,  ruddy,  well-built  son  of  Daman,  until 
the  world's  end  will  thy  like  not  be  found  among  the 
men  of  Erin ;  would  that  I  had  died  instead  of  thee,  for 


The  Fall  of  Ferdia  141 

then  I  should  not  now  be  alive  to  mourn  thy  death. 
Brief  and  sorrowful  will  be  my  life  after  thee. 

"  Dear  was  to  me  thy  comely  form, 
Dear  was  thy  youthful  body  warm, 
Dear  was  thy  clear-blue  dancing  eye, 
Dear  thy  wise  speech  when  I  was  by. 

"  Let  me  see,  now,  O  Laeg,  the  brooch  that  was  given  to 
Ferdia  by  Meave  ;  the  brooch  for  which  he  lost  his  life, 
and  did  combat  with  his  friend."  Then  Laeg  loosened 
the  brooch  from  the  mantle  of  Ferdia,  and  Cuchulain 
took  it  in  his  hand  and  looked  upon  it,  and  tears  such  as 
strong  warriors  weep  poured  from  his  eyes,  and  he 
lamented  over  Ferdia,  and  over  the  brooch  for  which 
he  had  given  his  life. 

"  And  now,"  said  Cuchulain,  "  we  will  leave  the  ford, 
O  Laeg  ;  but  every  other  fight  that  I  have  made  till  now 
when  I  came  to  fight  and  combat  with  Ferdia,  has  been 
but  play  and  sport  to  me  compared  with  this  combat 
that  we  have  made  together,  Ferdia  and  I."  And  as  he 
moved  away  he  sang  this  lay  : — 

"  Play  was  each,  pleasure  each, 
Till  Ferdia  faced  the  beach  ; 
One  had  been  our  student  life, 

One  in  strife  of  school  our  place, 
One  our  gentle  teacher's  grace, 
Loved  o'er  all  and  each. 

"  Play  was  each,  pleasure  each, 
Till  Ferdia  faced  the  beach  ; 
One  had  been  our  wonted  ways, 

One  the  praise  for  feat  of  fields, 
Scathach  gave  two  victor  shields 
Equal  prize  to  each. 


142  Cuchulain 

"  Play  was  each,  pleasure  each, 
Till  Ferdia  faced  the  beach  ; 
Dear  that  pillar  of  pure  gold 

Who  fell  cold  beside  the  ford 
Hosts  of  heroes  felt  his  sword 
First  in  battle-breach. 

ft  Play  was  each,  pleasure  each, 
Till  Ferdia  faced  the  beach  ; 
Lion  fiery,  fierce,  and  bright, 

Wave  whose  might  no  thing  witbstands, 
Sweeping,  with  the  shrinking  sands, 
Horror  o'er  the  beach. 

"  Play  was  each,  pleasure  each, 
Till  Ferdia  faced  the  beach  ; 
Loved  Ferdia,  dear  to  me  ; 

I  shall  dree  his  death  for  aye 
Yesterday  a  Mountain  he, — 
But  a  shade  to-day."  * 

1  From  Dr  George  Sigerson's    Bards   of  the   Gael  and   Gall.     The 
translation  is  in  the  metre  and  style  of  the  original. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
Ulster,  Awake  1 

AFTER  the  combat  with  Ferdia  weariness  and 
great  weakness  fell  upon  Cuchulain.  From 
the  beginning  of  winter  to  early  spring  he  had 
watched  and  safe-guarded  the  frontier  of  Ulster,  alone 
and  single-handed,  and  all  that  time  he  had  never  slept 
a  whole  night  through.  Saving  only  a  brief  snatch  at 
midday,  he  often  did  not  sleep  at  all,  and  even  what  he 
had  was  taken  sitting,  with  his  spear  ready  in  his  hand, 
and  his  head  resting  upon  the  shaft,  as  it  stood  between 
his  knees. 

The  host  of  Meave  was  encamped  on  the  plain  of 
Murthemne,  in  Cuchulain' s  district,  but  the  Brown 
Bull  and  the  cattle  they  had  sent  away  northward  for 
safety  into  the  hill  passes  of  eastern  Ulster. 

Beside  the  grave  of  Lerga,  overlooking  the  camp  of  the 
men  of  Erin,  Cuchulain  lay  beside  a  fire  that  Laeg  had 
kindled.  Now,  as  the  shades  of  evening  fell,  the  hero 
looked  abroad,  slowly  and  with  pain  raising  himself  upon 
his  elbow,  and  on  every  hand  he  saw  the  glint  and  gleam 
of  the  weapons  of  the  men  of  Erin,  caught  by  the  light 
of  the  setting  sun.  Before  him  lay  the  great  expanse 
of  tents,  and  the  multitude  of  the  host,  and  he  would 
have  rushed  upon  them  then  and  there,  but  all  his  body 
was  riddled  with  wounds,  and  his  strength  was  utterly 
gone  from  him.     In  his  anger  and  despair  he  brandished 

143 


144  Cuchulain 


his  sword  and  waved  his  shield  and  uttered  forth  his 
hero's  shout.  So  horrible  was  that  shout  that  the 
goblins  and  sprites  and  daft  people  of  the  air  and  of  the 
glens  answered  it,  and  many  of  the  men  of  Erin  died 
of  pure  terror  at  the  sound.  Then  across  the  camp  of 
the  enemy  Laeg  descried  a  figure,  as  of  a  tall  and  stately 
champion  advancing  calmly  towards  them.  Straight 
through  the  tents  of  Erin  he  passed  on,  but  no  man 
seemed  to  see  ;  no  head  was  turned  as  he  went  by,  nor 
did  the  sentries  bar  his  way,  yet  in  his  hand  he  carried 
a  drawn  sword. 

Astonishment  and  awe  fell  upon  Laeg  as,  from  his 
seat  beside  his  master,  he  beheld  the  warrior  draw  near. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  O  little  Hound,"  he  said,  "  as  though 
a  visitant  from  fairyland  drew  near.  Like  one  in  high 
authority  is  this  young  man,  and  like  the  sun  at  junction 
of  the  day  and  night  the  gentle  radiance  of  his  lofty 
brow  ;  methinks  that  in  its  midday  glow  no  mortal  eyes 
could  bear  the  shining  of  its  wondrous  light.  The  armour 
of  Manannan  clothes  him  round,  and  none  can  pierce 
or  wound  him  through  its  joints  ;  the  sword  of  Manannan 
is  in  his  hand,  from  which  no  enemy  returns  alive,  while 
on  his  head  the  jewelled  helmet  of  Manannan  gleams." 

"  'Tis  true,  indeed,"  replied  the  wounded  man,  "  Lugh 
the  Long-handed,  mightiest  of  the  gods,  is  come  to 
succour  me.  Bright  as  the  sun  rising  at  early  dawn  out 
of  the  glowing  east  the  hero's  face,  giver  of  light  and 
warmth  to  human-kind  ;  with  his  long  arms  stretching 
across  the  sky  he  floods  the  world  with  light.  In  his 
right  hand  he  bears  the  sword  of  day,  though  now  in 
shades  of  night  his  face  is  veiled.  No  human  eye,  save 
his  whose  inward  mind  has  pierced  the  realms  of  fairy 
mysteries,  can  see  the  god,  when  in  Manannan's  helmet 


Ulster,  Awake  !  145 

of  invisibility  he  comes  to  earth.  To  comfort  and  to 
solace  me  he  comes,  for  well  he  knows  my  plight.  My 
comrades  of  the  fairy-folk  have  pity  on  my  pain  and  my 
despair." 

The  warrior  stood  close  beside  Cuchulain's  bed  and 
gazed  upon  his  wounds,  and  noble  pity  stood  within  his 
eyes.  "  A  manly  fight,  I  see,  you  made,  my  son,  and 
worthy  are  those  wounds." 

"  I  think  not  much  about  the  wounds,  O  Lugh,  but 
this  is  troubling  me  ;  behold,  below,  yon  host  of  mighty 
men  who  threaten  Ulster's  land,  and  here  I  lie,  as  weary 
as  a  child,  and  cannot  rise  to  wreak  my  wrath  on  them. 
Were  but  my  strength  returned  and  my  wounds  healed, 
I  would  not  long  be  lying  here  in  grief,  idle  and  cast  away. 
But  if,  O  Father  Lugh,  for  this  one  night  you  would 
keep  watch  and  ward  for  me  the  while  I  sleep,  then 
could  I  for  a  space  take  peaceful  rest." 

"  I  come  for  that,"  said  Lugh,  "  from  fairy  land.  Sleep 
then,  O  Ulster's  Hound,  and  by  the  grave  of  Lerga  deeply 
rest ;  no  harm  shall  come  to  Ulster  while  you  sleep,  for  I 
will  watch  and  battle  with  the  host."  Then  in  deep 
peace  and  slumber  Cuchulain  took  his  rest,  and  for  three 
days  and  nights  he  stirred  not  once,  but  slept  a  dream- 
less, torpid  sleep.  And  fairy-folk  brought  magic  herbs 
to  put  into  his  wounds,  to  soothe  and  heal  him  while 
he  slept,  and  all  the  while  Lugh  sat  at  his  right  hand, 
guarding  his  rest,  save  when  some  feat  of  slaughter  was 
to  do  upon  the  men  of  Erin. 

But  Sualtach,  father  of  Cuchulain,  heard  of  the  dis- 
tressed condition  of  his  son,  and  well  he  knew  that  unless 
the  warriors  of  Ulster  woke  from  their  magic  sleep,  and 
gathered  to  his  help,  the  hero  must  give  way  before  his 
foes.     Now  Sualtach  was  no  battle-champion  or  warrior 


146 


Cuchulain 


of  renown,  but  just  a  passable  good  fighting-man ;  he 
had  no  thought  or  wish  to  stand  b}^  his  son  when  he 
fought  single-handed  with  the  choicest  of  Meave's  host ; 
nor  had  he  gone  to  help  him  even  when  he  heard  that 
between  life  and  death  he  lay,  covered  with  gaping 
wounds.  Yet  still  the  news  stirred  some  increase  of 
courage  in  him,  and  though  he  would  not  fight  in  an 
uneven  war,  he  now  resolved  to  arm  himself  and  ride  to 
Emain's  gates  and  call  the  sleeping  Ulstermen  to  rise  and 
hurry  down  to  aid  Cuchulain,  before  it  was  too  late. 
He  caught  the  Grey  of  Macha,  Cuchulain's  horse,  and 
mounted  him,  and,  spear  and  shield  in  hand,  he  rode 
straight  up  within  the  gates  of  Emain  Macha.  Silent 
and  still  as  death  was  all  the  kingly  fort.  No  sentinel 
looked  forth  to  guard  the  door,  no  warrior  strode  round 
the  deserted  walls,  and  all  within  was  silent  as  the  grave, 
save  for  the  weeping  women  and  the  little  children's 
play,  and  lowing  of  the  untended  cows  wandering  between 
the  outer  and  the  inner  raths.  Within,  in  Emain's  halls, 
each  warrior  sat  apart  sunk  deep  in  sleep,  his  head  upon 
his  hands,  his  arms  clasping  his  knees,  or  stretched  in 
slumber  full-length  upon  the  floor  ;  and  round  them  lay 
their  weapons,  idle  and  rusting  from  long  want  of  use, 
dropped  from  their  nerveless  hands.  Mighty  they 
looked,  well-built  and  good  men  all,  but  no  more  strength 
had  they  than  little  babes  but  newly  come  to  birth. 
Even  when  the  women  shook  them,  thy  looked  up  but 
for  one  moment  with  lack-lustre  eyes,  and  straightway 
sank  to  sleep  again.  Young  children  played  about  and 
over  them,  as  though  they  had  been  statues  made  of 
stone,  and  yet  they  heeded  not.  Beside  them,  at  their 
feet,  lay  crouched  their  noble  hounds,  loose  from  the 
leash,  stretched  out  asleep,  each  one  his  muzzle  lying 


Ulster,  Awake !  147 


on  his  paws.  From  time  to  time,  the  war-dogs  turned 
and  growled,  as  though  they  dreamed  bad  dreams  ; 
the  warriors  moaned  as  if  they  were  in  pain,  but  no  one 
moved  or  rose. 

Within  the  inner  fort  King  Conor  lay,  surrounded  by 
his  chiefs,  sunk  deep  in  coward  slumber  each  upon  his 
couch  ;  for  Madia's  hand  lay  heavy  on  them  all,  and 
her  revenge  was  come. 

But  in  the  playing-fields  outside,  the  Boy-corps  still 
kept  up  their  sports,  and  played  at  mimic  warfare  as  of 
yore,  though  all  their  chiefs  and  teachers  were  asleep  ; 
and  still  their  laughter,  shrill  and  bright,  rang  through 
the  silent  halls,  as  one  boy  caught  the  hurley  ball  a  good 
swing  with  his  club,  or  threw  his  fellow  in  their  feats  of 
strength.  The  little  son  of  Conor,  Follaman,  had  made 
himself  their  leader,  and  willingly  they  mustered  under 
him. 

Then  up  rode  Sualtach  upon  the  Grey,  and  three  times 
over  he  gave  forth  his  cry.  The  first  shout  went  up 
from  the  playing-fields,  the  second  from  the  rampart 
wall,  the  third  he  gave  standing  aloft  upon  the  summit 
of  the  mound  where  lay  imprisoned  the  hostages  of 
Ulster  chained  in  their  hut  beside  the  kingly  fort. 

"  Your  men  are  being  slain,"  he  cried,  "  your  cattle 
driven  away,  your  women  fall  as  captives  to  the  men  of 
Erin.  In  wild  Murthemne's  plain  Cuchulain  all  alone 
still  held  the  foemen  back  until  the  fight  with  Ferdia 
robbed  him  of  his  strength.  Wounded  in  every  joint 
Cuchulain  lies,  his  gaping  sores  stuffed  in  with  sops  and 
bits  of  grass,  his  clothes  held  on  with  spikes  of  hazel 
twigs.  On  Emain  Macha  press  the  enemy,  all  eastern 
Ulster  is  in  their  hands ;  Ailill  and  Meave  have  harried 
all  your  coasts.     Ulster,  Arise,  arise  !  " 


148 


Cuchulain 


Three  times  he  gave  the  shout,  ringing  and  clear  upon 
the  silent  air,  but  still  no  watchman's  voice  gave  forth 
reply. 

Now  in  the  kingly  fort  a  rule  of  courtesy  forbad  that 
any  man  should  speak  before  the  King,  save  only  his 
three  Druids,  who  were  his  counsellors.  After  a  while, 
as  for  the  third  time  the  voice  of  Sualtach  came  floating 
through  the  hall,  one  of  the  Druids  stirred  and  said, 
"  Who  is  the  fellow  brawling  in  the  court  ?  Fitting  it 
were  to  take  his  head  from  him."  "  Fitting  it  were, 
indeed,"  replied  the  King,  "  and  yet  I  think  the  thing  he 
says  is  true."  And  all  the  warriors  muttered  in  their 
sleep,  "  Fitting  it  were,  indeed." 

When  Sualtach  found  that  no  man  answered  him,  in 
violent  anger  he  turned  back  again.  In  his  fierce  wrath 
he  dragged  the  bridle-rein,  so  that  the  Grey  of  Macha 
reared,  and  stumbled  on  a  sleeping  man,  and  swerved 
aside,  flinging  Sualtach  forward  on  its  neck.  His  head 
struck  on  the  sharp  edge  of  his  missile-shield,  so  that  it 
sheared  it  off,  and  the  shield  fell  from  his  hand,  his  head 
within  it,  at  the  horse's  feet,  the  body  hanging  yet  upon  its 
back.  At  that  the  Grey  turned  round,  and  made  its  way 
into  the  inner  court  and  onward  to  the  hall,  the  lifeless 
body  still  upon  its  neck,  dragging  the  head  along  upon 
the  shield,  whose  strap  had  caught  into  its  feet.  And 
all  the  way  they  went,  passing  the  outer  and  the  inner 
courts  into  the  very  presence  of  the  King,  the  voice  of 
Sualtach  from  the  dissevered  head  still  called  aloud,  as 
though  he  were  alive,  "  Your  men  are  being  slain,  your 
cattle  driven  away  ;  your  women  fall  as  captives  to  the 
men  of  Erin.  In  wild  Murthemne's  plain  Cuchulain 
all  alone  still  holds  the  foemen  back.  Ulster,  Arise, 
arise  !  " 


Ulster,  Awake  !  1 49 

"  Too  noisy  is  that  head,"  King  Conor  said,  moving 
again  and  stirring  in  his  sleep ;  "  put  it  upon  the  pillar 
of  the  house  that  it  may  go  to  rest."  Then  one  of  the 
warriors,  hearing  his  King's  voice,  bestirred  himself, 
and  lifted  up  the  head  and  set  it  on  a  pillar ;  but  again, 
and  even  louder  than  before,  the  head  cried  out :  "  Your 
men  are  being  slain,  your  cattle  driven  away,  your 
women  fall  as  captives.  Ulster,  Arise,  arise !  "  So 
noisy  was  the  head,  that  one  warrior  and  then  another 
rose  upon  his  elbow  and  looked  up  at  it,  and  bade 
it  hold  its  peace,  but  when  they  spoke  the  head  but 
called  out  louder  than  before.  Then,  looking  round, 
they  saw  the  mighty  horse  standing,  gaunt  and  stock- 
still,  within  the  very  centre  of  the  hall,  the  headless 
rider  sitting  on  its  back.  And  when  they  saw  the  horse 
bearing  the  headless  rider  in  their  midst,  and  heard  the 
head  still  calling  from  the  pillar  top,  as  though  it  were 
alive,  a  shout  of  laughter,  as  of  olden  days,  went  up  from 
one  and  all,  and  the  King  bestirred  himself  at  the  un- 
wonted sound.  Then  all  the  chiefs,  seeing  the  King 
arise,  shook  themselves  lightly  and  began  to  stand  or  sit 
up  where  they  slept.  They  stooped  to  pick  their 
weapons  from  the  ground,  to  try  the  edges  of  their 
swords,  to  rub  the  rust  that  dulled  their  scabbards  and 
the  fine  points  of  their  spears.  For  memory  and  the  love 
of  life  and  war  began  to  stir  in  them,  and  wonder  at 
their  own  long  idleness.  And  at  the  last  the  King  stood 
up  and  cried,  "  True  is  the  message  that  the  head  has 
brought.  Ulster  lies  bound  before  her  enemies,  while 
we  rust  here  in  sleep.  By  all  the  gods  my  nation  loves,  I 
swear,  unless  the  stars  of  heaven  shall  fall  upon  our  heads, 
or  the  strong  solid  earth  give  way  beneath  our  feet,  I  and 
my  chiefs  will  restore  each  captive  woman  to  her  child 


150  Cuchulain 

and  home,  each  cow  to  her  own  meadow,  and  each  stolen 
piece  of  land  to  its  own  lords,  so  that  in  shame  with 
heavy  loss  the  foes  of  Ulster  shall  return  to  their  own 
country." 

Then  a  great  shout  went  up  from  the  men  of  Ulster, 
and  their  warrior  spirit  began  to  revive  in  them.  And  to 
each  in  turn  the  King  applied,  bidding  him  go  forth  and 
summon  his  clan  and  followers  to  meet  him  that  day  week 
upon  the  Hill  of  Slane  in  Meath,  for  he  himself  would  call 
a  muster  there. 

Gladly  and  eagerly  the  chiefs  issued  forth,  for  they 
heard  the  sounds  of  stirring  men  and  the  welcome  bark 
of  the  hounds  without. 

As  for  the  King  himself,  his  mind  was  so  confused  with 
the  magic  sleep  in  which  he  had  lain,  that  he  remembered 
not  the  dead  from  the  living,  but  stood,  calling  on  the 
dead  to  come  to  his  aid,  as  though  they  had  been  yet 
alive. 

Throughout  all  the  land  he  sent  heralds  to  call 
together  his  men-at-arms  ;  and  with  one  heart  and  mind 
the  men  of  Ulster  responded  to  his  call.  Troop  on  troop 
they  flocked  to  Emain,  from  North  and  West  and  East, 
each  mighty  leader  surrounded  by  his  host  clad  in  the 
kilt  and  colours  of  his  clan.  As  for  the  clans  that  were 
south  of  Emain,  they  tarried  not  to  assemble  at  the 
kingly  fort,  but  made  their  way,  each  by  his  own  route, 
straight  forward  to  the  Hill  of  Slane. 

For  after  their  long  rest  and  weakness  their  hands 
itched  to  be  upon  their  swords  again. 


H 


CHAPTER  XVII 

The  End  of  the  Boy-Corps 

ARDLY  had  the  King  arisen  from  his  sleep, 
than  he  remembered  the  Boy-corps.  "  Go," 
said  he  to  one  of  his  heralds,  "  and  see  how  the 
Boy-corps  fares.  Tell  the  youths  that  we  depart  hence 
within  a  while  to  battle  on  the  Hill  of  Slane  in  Meath, 
but  that  before  we  set  forth  on  our  march,  we  fain  would 
see  them  once  again  at  play.  Bid  Follaman  and  bid 
them  all  prepare."  So  the  herald  went  out  to  warn  the 
Boy-corps,  but  the  playing-field  was  silent  and  deserted, 
nor  was  there  any  sign  of  Follaman  or  of  the  boys. 
"  What  is  become  of  the  corps  ?  "  he  asked,  alarmed, 
for  among  the  boys  were  the  sons  of  the  bravest  chiefs 
of  Ulster  and  the  King's  own  son  besides.  But  none 
could  give  him  a  reply.  In  one  corner  of  the  playing- 
field  he  espied  a  little  lad,  the  youngest  of  the  corps, 
who  sat  alone,  crying  by  himself.  The  herald  asked 
him  what  it  was  that  ailed  him,  and  where  were  all  the 
others,  his  companions.  "  The  boys  are  gone  to  help 
Cuchulain,  their  comrade,  who  is  sorely  wounded," 
said  the  child ;  "  they  heard  the  words  of  Sualtach,  call- 
ing on  the  Ulstermen  to  rise  and  come  to  Cuchulain's 
help  against  the  men  of  Erin.  But  all  the  champions 
were  asleep  and  heard  not ;  only  they,  the  Boy-corps, 
heard.  And  Follaman  their  leader  said,  '  Cuchulain, 
our  comrade,  is  in  sore  distress,  and  none  are  ready  to  go 

151 


152  Cuchulain 

to  his  aid ;  therefore  we  ourselves  will  go.'  And  all  the 
Boy-corps  said  that  they  would  follow  him,  and 
protect  the  coasts  of  Ulster  while  Cuchulain  was 
asleep,  and  do  combat  for  him  with  the  enemy.  But 
me  they  left  behind,"  the  child  continued,  weeping, 
"  because  they  said  I  was  too  young  to  go  ;  but  I  would 
have  handled  my  little  sword  as  well  as  any  of  them.  I 
heard  Follaman  say  that  he  would  never  return  to  Emain 
unless  he  brought  with  him  Ailill's  head,  with  its  coronet 
of  gold,  to  lay  at  Conor's  feet." 

When  the  herald  heard  this  tale,  he  went  hurriedly 
to  the  palace  and  told  the  King  what  the  child  had  said. 
A  great  cry  arose  in  the  palace  when  it  was  known  that 
the  boys  had  gone  to  do  battle  with  grown  warriors  of 
Erin  ;  for  each  chief  and  each  champion  had  a  son,  or 
two  or  three  sons,  among  the  corps,  and  the  King 
himself  had  Follaman,  his  youngest  and  his  darling. 
Then  the  King  sent  out  word  that  before  one  hour 
should  be  past,  he  and  his  troops  would  take  the  road 
to  Slane  ;  if  so  perchance  they  might  arrive  in  time  to 
save  the  Boy-corps  from  its  fate.  For  all  his  strength 
and  vigour  returned  to  Conor  when  he  heard  of  the  peril 
which  beset  the  Boy-corps,  and  bitterly  did  he  rue  the 
inaction  in  which  he  and  his  warriors  had  lain,  when  the 
children  had  gone  forth  to  fight. 

Now  at  the  end  of  his  three  days'  sleep,  Cuchulain 
had  awakened  from  his  trance  ;  he  passed  his  hand 
across  his  face,  and  opened  his  eyes  and  saw  Lugh  sitting 
beside  him.  From  head  to  foot  he  blushed  a  rosy  red, 
for  he  felt  shame  that  a  champion  like  himself  should  be 
found  sleeping  before  his  foes.  "  Warrior,  how  long 
have  I  been  sleeping  here  ?  "  said  he.  "  Three  days  and 
three  nights,"  said  Lugh,  "  and  no  shame  to  thee  that 


The  End  of  the  Boy-Corps      153 

thou  shouldst  sleep,  for  even  yet  thou  art  not  fit  to  rise." 
"  That  indeed  is  true,"  replied  Cuchulain,  for  he  tried  to 
sit  up  on  his  couch,  and  fell  back  again.  "  Though  my 
wounds  are  closed  and  healing,  my  strength  has  not 
returned ;  and  all  this  time  the  hosts  of  Erin  have  been 
unmolested." 

"  Nay,  nay,  indeed,"  cried  Lugh,  "  no  step  forward 
have  they  made ;  my  hand  hath  held  them  back.  More- 
over," but  here  his  voice  grew  grave  and  stern,  "  the 
Boy-corps  from  Emain  were  here  last  night."  "  The 
Boy-corps  from  Emain,"  Cuchulain  cried;  "what  did 
they  here  ?  No  games  or  child's  play  have  we  here  suited 
to  their  age,  but  grim  and  deadly  deeds  of  war.  I  trust 
no  hurt  or  damage  came  to  them."  "  Alas,  alas," 
said  Lugh,  "  they  came  at  night ;  I  knew  not  they 
were  here.  Straight  to  the  tent  of  Ailill  and  of  Meave 
marched  on  the  boys,  clad  in  their  mimic  armour,  with 
all  their  pennons  flying  in  the  wind.  Follaman,  Conor's 
son,  was  at  their  head,  a  brave  and  dauntless  lad  ;  and  on 
them  all,  although  they  were  but  growing  boys,  men  say 
was  seen  the  dignity  of  heroes,  and  the  fearlessness  of 
seasoned  wariors.  Follaman  demanded  combat  with 
Ailill  himself,  he  being  a  King's  son,  and  thus,  he  said, 
unfit  to  fight  with  common  men. 

"  With  jeers  and  taunts  they  drove  the  brave  lads  back 
out  of  the  camp  and  downward  to  the  ford ;  but  there  at 
last  the  Boy-corps  took  its  stand.  '  Here  wait  we,'  cried 
the  lads,  '  here  stand  we  to  the  death ;  the  honour  of 
Cuchulain  and  of  Ulster  is  in  our  hands.  Come  out  and 
fight !  '  Alas,  alas,"  said  Lugh  again,  "  this  morning 
when  I  walked  beside  the  ford,  to  guard  the  banks  from 
any  man  of  Meave's,  all  up  and  down  the  strand  fair 
bodies  lay,  mangled  and  cut  and  hewn  by  cruel  hands, 


154  Cuchulain 

and  on  the  stream  bright  hair  was  tossing  from  fair 
severed  heads.  Follaman  lay  prone  on  the  farther  side, 
his  cold  hand  grasping  still  a  warrior's  hair,  his  arms 
locked  tightly  in  that  warrior's  arms,  dragged  down 
together  and  o'erwhelmed  beneath  the  wave.  And  all 
around  a  bloody  fight  had  been.  Many  a  good  warrior 
had  gone  down  before  those  hero  boys  ;  many  a  strong 
arm  by  them  was  stilled  in  death.  Brave  lads  !  the 
pride  of  Ulster  and  of  Ulster's  chiefs  !  " 

"  The  Boy-corps  dead  !  "  Cuchulain  cried,  "  dead  to 
retrieve  my  honour  and  the  darkened  fame  of  Ulster's 
chiefs  !  Ill  is  the  deed  that  thou  hast  done  me,  O  my 
Father  Lugh  ;  had  I  been  roused  from  sleep  the  Boy-corps 
had  not  perished  thus.  Follaman,  Conor's  son,  would 
not  have  fallen,  and  this  shame  would  not  have  been 
added  to  Ulster's  other  shames.  Alas,  and  thrice  alas  ! 
And  now,  my  Father  Lugh,  hark  to  my  prayer ;  stay 
but  one  night  beside  me,  and  together  we  will  avenge  the 
fall  of  the  Boy-corps.  Before  the  arm  of  Lugh  the  Long- 
handed  and  the  might  of  Ulster's  Hound,  no  foe  could 
stand ;  let  us  then  do  a  glorious  deed,  that  Ulster's  honour 
be  by  us  avenged." 

"  Nay,  not  so,"  said  Lugh,  "  for  thine  own  strength  is 
not  come  back  to  thee,  and  I  must  back  to  fairy-land 
again.  My  work  is  done,  the  gods  await  me  there.  The 
wrong  will  be  avenged,  as  is  most  meet,  by  Ulster's 
champions,  the  fathers  of  the  boys.  See,  even  now 
over  the  Hill  of  Slane  their  pennons  wave." 

Most  true  it  was  ;  Cuchulain  looked  and  saw,  right  in 
the  north  and  passing  out  beyond  him  to  the  west, 
the  gathering  of  a  mighty  host.  Far  as  the  eye  could 
reach  they  came  with  swinging  gait,  battalion  on  bat- 
talion, up  the  hill  ;  their  tents  on  every  side  they  pitched, 


The  End  of  the  Boy-Corps      155 

and  martial  strains  and  trampling  of  men's  feet  resounded 
through  the  plain.  Beneath  their  heavy  tread  the 
very  earth  seemed  quivering  as  they  moved  ;  the  trees 
of  the  forest  crashed  their  branches,  and  their  tops  swung 
together  in  the  violence  of  the  wind  they  made  in  passing 
up  the  glen.  In  the  dim  mist  of  early  morn  their  spear- 
points  glittered  like  sparks  of  fire,  caught  by  the  first 
beams  of  the  rising  sun;  the  thunder  of  their  chariots, 
the  clatter  of  their  arms  and  horses'  hoofs,  so  terrified 
the  wild  things  of  the  woodlands,  that  they  fled  panting 
before  them  to  the  open  plain. 

"  Carry  me  where  I  can  mark  the  clans  as  they  come 
up,  0  Laeg,"  Cuchulain  said.  Laeg  lifted  up  the  wounded 
hero  in  his  arms,  and  laid  him  on  the  north  side  of  a 
rising  mound  whence  he  could  see  the  path  by  which  the 
armies  came.  He  marked  the  Druids  marching  on  in 
front,  scanning  the  sky  for  portents  and  muttering 
their  spells.  Then  came  the  bards,  pouring  forth 
rhapsodies,  and  singing  battle-chants,  and  near  them 
were  the  bright-faced  men  of  healing,  carrying  salves 
and  medicines  in  their  bags,  to  succour  wounded 
men. 

Right  well  Cuchulain  recognized  them  all,  the  corps 
of  Laery,  named  Triumphant,  marching  in  impetuous 
style  ;  the  clan  of  Conall  the  Victorious,  his  early  friend, 
all  young  and  hardy  men ;  the  clan  of  Conor's  son,  he 
whom  men  called  "  The  Stutterer,"  because  he  stam- 
mered in  his  speech.  These  latter  were  so  eager  for  the 
fray,  that,  fearing  to  spring  forth  before  the  time,  they 
knelt  upon  the  ground,  their  chins  resting  on  the  rims  of 
their  enormous  shields.  All  day  they  came,  from  morn 
to  fall  of  night,  till  the  whole  hill  and  wide  surrounding 
plain  were  covered  with  their  tents.     But  in  the  midst 


'56 


Cuchulain 


Cuchulain  saw  his  own  corps  swinging  up  the  hill, 
brilliant  in  their  flying  plaids,  all  mighty  men  and  strong. 
They  only,  among  all  the  host,  marched  mournfully  and 
sadly  to  their  camp ;  no  sound  of  music,  no  martial 
warrior-chant,  rose  from  their  lips,  for  they  as  orphans 
marched  without  a  father,  or  as  a  body  left  without  a 
head.  Now  when  Cuchulain  marked  his  own  corps 
coming  up,  no  words  of  Laeg  could  stay  him,  nor  could 
his  bands  and  shackles  tie  him  down.  Violently  and 
with  tremendous  force  he  sought  to  rise,  to  greet  his  own 
battalion.  So  vigorous  were  the  efforts  that  he  made, 
that  even  Meave  and  Fergus  heard.  "  Surely  it  is 
Cuchulain  trying  to  arise  and  join  his  own  battalion  !  " 
Fergus  said ;  "  well  is  it  for  us  that  he  is  lying  ill ! 
Happy  the  men  who  have  the  aid  of  Cuchulain's 
corps,  and  woe  to  those  whom  they  oppose  !  Were 
but  their  chief  amongst  them  at  this  time,  no  other 
clan  had  need  to  be  called  out  against  the  men  of 
Erin." 

"  I  fear  them  not,"  said  Meave ;  "we  have  good  men 
and  brave  to  answer  them." 

"  I  swear  by  Ulster's  gods,"  Fergus  replied,  "  that 
when  once  Ulster  is  aroused,  no  host  on  earth  can  answer 
them." 

"  Send  satirists  and  men  of  evil  nature  from  us  to 
Cuchulain,"  said  Meave  to  her  attendants,  "  and  let 
them  jeer  him  in  his  weakness,  saying  to  him  that 
Conor  will  be  routed,  Ulster  put  to  shame,  and  Fergus 
slain  while  he  is  lying  on  his  couch  in  idleness.  Let  him 
not  think  that  it  is  we  who  send,  but  his  own  people 
jeering  at  his  wounds.  Tell  him  his  own  corps  call  on 
Ulster's  Hound,  but,  like  a  pet-dog  in  a  lady's  lap,  he 
lies  down  to  be  fondled  and  caressed.     Send  women 


The  End  of  the  Boy-Corps      157 

mourners  to  weep  over  him  false  noisy  tears,  and  tear 
their  hair,  and  keen,  as  though  he  even  now  were  dead. 
Thus  will  he  fall  into  despair  and  do  himself  some  harm, 
and  so  our  victory  will  be  assured.  Away,  and  spare 
him  not." 

So  keening  women  and  hired  mourning  men  went  to 
the  mound  whereon  Cuchulain  lay,  exhausted  with  his 
effort  to  arise ;  for  Laeg  had  bound  the  hero  fast  with 
cords,  so  that  he  might  not  struggle  to  get  up.  For  much 
he  feared  that  he  might  inflict  some  injury  on  himself 
in  trying  to  rejoin  his  corps.  But  Cuchulain  thought 
not  on  his  wounds  at  all,  for  all  his  mind  was  bent  in 
following  Laeg's  account  of  what  was  passing  in  the 
camp ;  and  when  the  messengers  of  Meave  came 
close,  and  began  to  weep  and  wail,  and  hurl  at 
him  abuse  and  scornful  words,  he  neither  saw  nor 
heard  them,  so  that  at  length  they  ceased,  disheartened 
and  ashamed. 

Eagerly  Cuchulain  addressed  himself  to  Laeg.  "  Tell 
me,  O  Laeg,  how  stands  our  host  together,  and  what  do 
they  now  ?  " 

"  So  close  stand  now  the  serried  ranks,  that  though 
ConalPs  charioteer  and  mine  tried  side  by  side  to  force 
our  way  across  the  clustered  spearpoints  of  the  host,  no 
smallest  object  from  our  chariots  dropped  among  the 
men  could  find  its  way  between  them  to  the  ground. 
I  see  King  Conor's  chosen  men-at-arms  coming  toward 
the  hill,  where  Conor's  tent  is  pitched,  higher  and  far 
more  spacious  than  the  rest.  I  see  Meave's  warriors 
withstanding  them ;  they  make  a  hollow  circle,  hoping, 
I  think,  to  take  the  King  alive.  But,  as  though  they 
hardly  saw  the  opposing  band,  the  King  and  his  brave 
followers  stride  on.     I  see  them  now  entering  the  hollow 


1 5  8  Cuchulain 

mass  of  fighting  men  ;  alas,  they  will  be  caught  and  fall. 
But  no  !  I  see,  I  see  them  soon  emerge  again,  unharmed 
and  safe.  Right  through  the  enemy  they  have  forced 
their  way,  to  join  the  main  contingent  of  the  troops. 
The  clans  of  Ulster  rise  on  every  side  as  Conor  gains  his 
tent  upon  the  utmost  summit  of  the  hill,  and  in  a  mighty 
shout,  rending  the  clouds  of  heaven,  the  men  of  Ulster 
now  acclaim  their  King." 

"  There  is  the  stuff  for  a  great  battle  among  those 
hosts,"  Cuchulain  cried ;  "  bloody  the  deeds  that  will  be 
wrought  at  sunrise  on  the  morrow's  morn.  Let  nothing 
pass  you  ;  tell  me  all  you  see." 

"  So  far  as  I  can  mark,  you  shall  know  all,"  replied  the 
charioteer  ;  "  but  shades  of  evening  fall  apace  on  us,  and 
hard  it  is  to  distinguish  friend  from  foe.  The  warriors 
all  betake  them  to  their  rest.  Watchfires  are  lighted, 
and  around  their  blaze  they  sit  in  peace  and  eat  their 
evening  meal.  Far  in  the  west,  I  see  a  little  herd  emerge 
upon  the  plain,  a  great  Bull  at  its  head,  and  all  around  a 
troop  of  cows  and  heifers,  fifty  or  more,  their  heads  held 
well  in  air.  A  band  of  youths  are  trying  to  restrain  them 
and  turn  them  back  into  the  camp  of  Meave  ;  but  still 
they  advance.,  careering  o'er  the  plain,  as  though  to  join 
the  hosts  of  Ulster's  King.  The  youths  of  Ulster  are 
battling  with  those  other  youths,  trying  to  gain  posses- 
sion of  the  Bull."  "  And  so  indeed  they  may,"  Cuchu- 
lain said,  "  the  Dun  of  Cooley  is  that  Bull  you  see,  for 
whom  this  war  is  fought.  How  are  the  youths  of  Ulster 
bearing  themselves  in  this  fray  ?  "  "  They  fight  like 
men,"  said  Laeg,  "  but  now  I  see  the  Bull  has  broken 
from  them  all.  Away  he  goes,  toward  the  west,  making 
as  though  for  Connaught."  "  He  feels  in  him  the  call  of 
war,"  replied  the  wounded  man ;  "he  seeks  the  White- 


The  End  of  the  Boy-Corps      159 

horned,  left  in  Cruachan.  No  man,  nor  any  band  of 
men  can  stay  the  Dun,  when  once  the  time  is  come  for 
his  great  onset  on  the  Connaught  Bull.  Fearful  will  be 
the  war  between  those  twain.  All  Ireland  will  hear  their 
furious  charge,  and  tremble  at  their  fall." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
The  "  Rising-Out "  of  Ulster 

BEFORE  the  dawn  of  the  ensuing  day,  Sencha  the 
Druid  seated  himself  upon  the  summit  of  the  Hill 
of  Slane,  beside  the  tent  of  Conor,  to  watch  for 
the  first  ray  of  light  arising  in  the  east.  The  Druids 
had  foretold  that  if  the  men  of  Ulster  went  into  battle 
before  the  break  of  day,  they  must  fall  before  their 
enemies,  but  if  they  waited  till  the  early  dawn  flooded 
the  hills  and  vales  of  Ireland,  then  it  was  they  who  would 
come  off  victorious. 

So  eager  were  the  warriors  for  the  fight,  that  it  was 
hard  to  hold  them  till  the  night  was  past.  On  every  side, 
long  ere  the  dawn  had  broken,  they  pushed  aside  their 
tent-doors  and  came  forth.  Nay,  many  of  the  host  there 
were,  who  would  not  wait  their  turn  to  issue  from  the 
doors ;  but  all  unclothed,  their  weapons  in  their  hands, 
they  rushed  out  from  their  tents,  forcing  their  way 
through  every  side  at  once. 

King  Conor  gave  command,  "  Bid  them  to  halt  until 
the  word  be  given."  And  all  the  host  stood  silent  where 
they  were,  gazing  toward  the  summit  of  the  hill  whereon 
the  bearded  Druid  stood  erect. 

At  length  in  the  dim  east  the  sun  arose,  its  first  rays 
shooting  up  along  the  sky.  Then  to  his  full  height 
Sencha  arose  and  raised  his  arms  on  high,  his  snowy 
garments  waving  in  the  wind. 


"  The  moment  of  good-luck  is  come 


1 60 


The  "  Rising-Out "  of  Ulster    1 6 1 

"  The  moment  of  good-luck  is  come,"  he  cried.  "  Let 
Ulster's  heroes  meet  their  enemies  !  Let  Macha's  king 
arise  !  " 

Then  with  their  weapons  brandished  in  their  hands, 
and  with  a  horrid  whoop  of  war,  the  men  of  Ulster 
rushed  into  the  fight.  The  men  of  Erin  arose  on  every 
side,  and  furiously  and  fiercely  was  the  battle  joined. 
From  dawn  to  noon  the  conflict  raged,  now  here,  now 
there,  across  the  plain  of  Meath.  At  length  Meave  said, 
"  Call  Fergus  to  me.  I  would  send  him  to  the  fight  "  ; 
for  Fergus  had  remained  behind,  among  Meave's  body- 
guard, for  loth  he  was  to  lift  his  hand  against  the  men 
of  his  own  province.  "  It  is  the  part  of  a  true  hero,  O 
Fergus,"  said  Meave,  deriding  him,  "  to  remain  behind 
within  the  tents  when  a  conflict  to  the  death  is  going 
forward.  Many  good  things,  our  hospitality  and  love, 
you  took  from  our  hand  when  Ulster  exiled  you.  We  fed 
and  clothed  your  troops,  we  offered  you  a  home.  For 
many  years  you  lingered  in  our  land,  wanting  neither 
for  wealth  or  honour  while  you  were  with  us  ;  now  when 
the  moment  of  our  peril  comes,  when  in  your  cause  we 
come  to  fight  with  Ulster,  to  restore  yourself  and  all  the 
exiles  to  their  homes,  'tis  Fergus  lags  behind.  The 
common  men  and  chiefs  may  die,  you  say,  so  I  remain 
in  peace  among  the  tents.  Now  I  myself,  Queen  Meave, 
descend  into  the  fray  ;  in  my  own  person  I  will  lead  my 
troops,  like  any  valiant  captain  of  my  host.  I  go  to  seek 
out  Conor,  who  supplanted  Fergus  on  the  throne  ;  will 
Fergus  stay  behind  ?  " 

When  Fergus  heard  of  Conor  he  exclaimed,  "  My  hand 
I  will  not  lift  against  the  chiefs  of  Ulster,  who  are  all  my 
friends  ;  but  against  Conor  will  I  lift  my  hand,  the  wily, 
bad,  supplanting  king  who  stands  where  I  should  stand. 


1 62  Cuchulain 

By  all  my  gods  I  swear,  had  I  but  my  own  sword,  the 
mighty  '  Hard  One  '  whose  blade  is  like  a  beam,  or  like 
a  rainbow  stretched  across  the  sky,  I  now  would  ply  it 
upon  Conor's  shield.  Fetch  me  my  sword  !  "  Then 
Ailill  commanded  that  the  sword  of  Fergus,  called  the 
Calad-cholg,  or  the  '  Hard-sword,'  brought  by  Mac 
Leda  out  of  fairy-land,  should  be  given  to  him,  for  he  had 
hidden  it,  until  the  time  should  come.  So  Fergus' 
sword  was  brought,  and  Ailill  put  it  into  Fergus'  hand  ; 
and  with  a  shout  of  welcome,  Fergus  grasped  his  sword, 
huge-handled,  double-bladed,  terrible  ;  so  that  no  hand 
but  Fergus'  hand  could  hold  it  in  its  grasp.  "  Welcome, 
Calad-cholg  ;  welcome,  O  Leda's  sword  !  Woe  to  the 
fosterling  of  war  who  feels  thy  edge  to-day  1  On  whom 
now  shall  we  try  thy  might  ?  " 

"  Upon  the  host  that  rings  us  round,  O  Fergus," 
said  the  Queen  ;  "  none  shall  turn  back  in  peace  before 
thy  sword,  none  may  it  spare,  save  only  some  dear  friend 
of  other  days." 

Then  into  the  battle-field,  standing  erect  within  her 
chariot,  with  all  her  champions  round  her  as  she  rode, 
went  queenly  Meave,  her  golden  circlet  on  her  head, 
her  weapons  in  her  hand.  On  either  side,  holding  aloft 
their  swords,  rode  Ailill  and  Fergus,  each  with  his  own 
bodyguard.  Terrific  was  their  onset  and  before  their 
chosen  men,  rushing  like  winds  of  March  into  the  fray, 
Ulster  gave  way  and  fled.  Three  times  they  led  their  men 
into  the  very  centre  of  the  host,  scattering  it  right  and 
left,  till  Conor  cried  :  "  Who  is  this  foe,  who,  three  times 
to  the  North  has  scattered  all  mine  host  ?  "  "  Fergus 
it  is  and  Meave,"  they  all  reply  ;  "  furiously  they  cut 
their  way  across  the  clans,  who  fly  before  them  as  they 
come."     Now  by  the  rules  of  Ulster's  warfare,  the  king 


The  "Rising-Out"  of  Ulster    163 

might  never  expose  his  person  in  battle,  but  only,  from 
some  post  of  vantage,  watch  the  onset  of  his  men.  But 
now  King  Conor  said,  "  Hold  you  this  hill,  I  will  myself 
go  down  and  rally  to  their  duty  the  flying  hosts  of 
Ulster."  And  when  they  found  the  king  determined 
to  go  down,  with  one  mouth  his  bodyguard  replied, 
"  Unless  the  earth  should  burst  beneath  our  feet,  or  the 
blue  sky  fall  on  us  from  above,  we  steadfastly  will  hold 
this  post  for  you,  O  King." 

Then  round  the  king  a  body  of  his  bravest  warriors 
locked  their  shields,  and  made  a  rampart ;  thus  the 
king  went  down  into  the  battle  with  his  followers  around 
him,  he  himself  holding  his  mighty  horned  shield,  the 
Ochain,  in  the  midst.  For  they  knew  that  if  the  king 
should  fall,  the  men  of  Ulster  would,  as  one  man,  take  to 
flight. 

Fergus  was  seeking  everywhere  throughout  the  host 
for  the  king  of  Ulster,  and  when  he  saw  the  linked  shields 
of  Ulster's  greatest  champions  he  knew  that  the  king 
was  in  their  midst.  He  made  a  mighty  onslaught  on  the 
rampart  of  shields,  and  broke  through  it,  scattering  the 
chiefs  to  right  and  left.  Then  he  approached  the  king, 
and  with  his  '  Hard- Sword  '  smote  three  mighty  blows 
on  Conor's  shield.  And  the  shield  screamed  aloud  and 
roared,  as  was  its  wont  when  Conor  was  in  peril  or  dis- 
tress ;  and  when  the  warriors  of  his  host  heard  the 
screaming  of  the  shield,  all  their  weapons  echoed  in  reply, 
and  the  shields  that  hung  on  the  walls  of  Emain  Macha 
fell  down  flat  upon  the  ground.  Far  off,  where  he  lay, 
Cuchulain  heard  the  sound.  "  Surely,"  he  cried,  "  I 
hear  the  shield  of  Conor  roar ;  some  deadly  peril  must 
beset  the  king,  and  I  lie  here  alive  and  help  him  not ! 
Set  free  my  bonds,  or,  on  my  word,  I  will  break  loose 


1 64  Cuchulain 

from  them  !  "  Then  with  a  mighty  effort,  putting  forth 
all  his  strength,  Cuchulain  wrenched  his  bonds,  breaking 
and  scattering  them ;  and  when  he  saw  that  nothing 
would  avail  to  hinder  him,  Laeg  cut  the  cords,  and  with 
one  cry,  the  hero  sprang  upon  his  feet.  "  My  weapons 
and  my  war-chariot,"  he  cried,  and  Laeg  brought  out 
his  chariot,  sorely  broken  as  it  was  after  the  fight  with 
Ferdia  at  the  ford.  In  it  he  fixed  the  iron  spikes  and 
points  and  nails  that  strengthened  it  in  time  of  war,  and 
made  men  fear  to  approach  too  near  ;  into  its  wheels, 
on  either  side,  the  sweeping  scythes  were  fastened  that 
mowed  the  enemy  like  grass  as  it  swept  through  the  host. 
The  Grey  of  Macha  and  the  Black  Steed  of  the  Glen 
neighed  loudly,  and  came  whinnying  to  Laeg's  call,  and 
slowly  Cuchulain's  old  strength  returned  to  him  again. 
He  sprang  into  the  seat,  and  with  a  noise  like  thunder 
dashed  onward  to  the  place  whence  came  the  tumult 
of  King  Conor's  shield.  Standing  erect,  it  was  as 
though  a  light  streamed  from  his  hair,  rising  up  toward 
the  heavens  ;  while  on  either  hand  the  sods  flew  from 
the  chariot-wheels,  making  the  air  dark  about  him  as  he 
came.  His  own  corps  perceived  him  coming  through 
the  host,  and  loud  their  shout  of  welcome  rose,  and  all  the 
men  of  Ulster  sent  forth  a  cry  of  exultation  and  of  joy. 
Even  the  enemy  held  his  hand  awhile,  and  Fergus  him- 
self fell  back  before  the  king. 

"  Away  with  you,  my  Master  Fergus,"  Cuchulain 
cried,  "  turn  about,  and  begone  ;  dare  not  to  strike 
King  Conor's  shield."  But  Fergus  answered  not,  until 
a  third  time  Cuchulain  cried.  And  then  he  said,  "  Who 
is  this,  of  Ulster's  host,  who  dares  to  address  me  in  strong 
warrior  words  ?  " 

"  'Tis  even  I,  thy  foster-son,  Cuchulain,  son  of  Sualtach, 


The  "  Rising-Out  "  of  Ulster     1 6$ 

loved  of  the  great  god  Lugh  !  Dost  thou  not  remember, 
Fergus,  how  thou  didst  promise  that  what  time  I  should 
be  wounded  in  the  fight  thou  wouldst  turn  and  make  as 
though  to  flee  before  me,  so  that  the  host  of  Erin  should 
follow  after  thee  ?  The  time  is  come,  turn  now  and  flee, 
or  else  stand  fast  and  try  thy  strength  with  mine." 

"  I  promised  that,  indeed,"  said  he,  "  and  truly  I  will 
now  fulfil  my  words.  Not  fit  or  strong  enough  art  thou 
at  this  time  to  contend  with  me.  Stand  back  awhile, 
and  I  will  make  as  though  I  fled  before  thy  onset." 

Then  Fergus  turned,  and  fell  back  three  full  warrior- 
paces  before  Cuchulain,  as  if  he  fled  before  him,  trailing 
his  mighty  sword  behind  him  on  the  ground.  And 
when  the  host  of  Meave  saw  Fergus  turn,  they  thought 
that  all  was  lost,  and  with  one  consent  they  turned  about 
and  fled. 

Breaking  their  ranks,  in  wild  disorder  they  streamed 
westward  o'er  the  plain,  each  man  making  for  his  home. 
On  every  side  they  cast  away  their  arms,  so  that  the 
ground  was  strewn  with  shields  and  spears,  and  vainly 
Meave  and  Ailill  called  on  them  to  turn.  Seeing  the 
rout,  the  men  of  Ulster  followed  hard,  pressing  upon  their 
rear,  and  cutting  off  a  multitude  of  men.  From  noon 
till  twilight's  fall  they  fled,  nor  halted  till  they  reached 
the  Shannon's  ford,  to  pass  across  it  and  regain  their 
homes.  And,  haughtily  and  undauntedly,  Cuchulain 
pursued  the  host,  making  a  red  rout  of  the  flying  men, 
so  that  the  way  was  strewn  with  dying  and  with  dead. 

Close  at  his  side,  urging  on  his  withered  steeds,  rode 
aged  Iliach,  Ulster's  valiant  chief.  Old  and  beyond  the 
fighting-age  was  he,  yet,  when  the  muster  of  the  corps 
was  made,  he  would  not  stay  behind.  "  Bring  me  my 
chariot  and  my  steeds,"  said  he.     Now  many  years  had 


1 66  Cuchulain 

passed  since  last  the  old  man  went  into  the  field.  Rusted 
and  broken  was  his  chariot,  his  weapons  bent  and  worn  ; 
as  to  his  ancient  chariot-steeds,  they  were  but  lean  and 
wasted  beasts,  long  since  turned  out  to  grass.  No 
cushions  had  the  chariot,  nor  any  seat  at  all ;  just  as  it 
was  the  steeds  were  harnessed  to  the  metal  frame,  and 
in  his  hand  he  took  his  blunt  and  rusty  spears.  All 
round  him  on  the  chariot-floor  were  piled  up  flags  and 
rocks  and  stones ;  with  these,  when  his  old  worn-out 
weapons  broke  in  twain,  he  plied  and  mightily  discomfited 
the  enemy. 

Yet,  as  he  stood  erect,  his  white  hair  streaming  on  the 
wind,  so  strange  and  formidable  was  his  look,  so  flashing 
was  his  eye,  that  all  the  men  of  Erin  shrank  before  him 
as  he  passed.  At  length  his  vigour  ebbed,  his  strength 
gave  out,  the  handle  of  his  sword  dropped  useless  from 
his  hand.  He  called  upon  his  charioteer.  "  My  work 
is  done,"  he  said,  "  take  thou  my  head  from  me  upon  my 
chariot's  rim  ;  I  would  not  fall  into  the  enemy's  hand. 
My  honour  and  the  honour  of  my  country  is  avenged. 
I  die  content."  Then  with  his  own  old  sword,  upon  the 
side-edge  of  the  chariot  his  charioteer  hewed  off  his 
head.  Cuchulain  turned  and  saw  what  had  been  done. 
"  Bear  thou  the  head  to  Emain,"  said  he,  "  and  let  his 
body  be  buried  with  all  honour  near  his  home.  Iliach 
died  as  a  hero  should.  So  die  all  Ulster's  heroes,  avenging 
Ulster's  honour  on  her  foes." 


CHAPTER  XIX 

The  Humbling  of  Queen  Meave 

fT^OWARDS  the  fall  of  day,  Cuchulain  reached  the 
I         ford  of  the  Shannon  at  the  place  that  is  now 

A  called  Athlone.  He  saw  the  army  of  Meave 
flying,  broken  and  disbanded,  across  the  river,  and 
weariness  and  dislike  of  the  rout  overtook  him,  so  that 
he  turned  aside  into  a  wood  close  by  to  rest  awhile, 
for  of  his  chariot  there  remained  but  a  few  bent  ribs, 
and  the  wheels  were  loosened  from  the  pole.  "  I  will 
watch  the  flying  host,"  he  thought,  "  until  the  Ulster- 
men  eome  up,  and  together  we  will  smite  them  and  cut 
off  their  rear."  As  he  pushed  his  way  into  the  wood,  he 
saw  before  him,  in  the  dimness  of  the  fading  light,  Queen 
Meave  herself,  fallen,  forsaken  and  exhausted,  on  the 
ground.  So  close  was  she  that  he  could  have  smitten 
her  from  behind,  and  taken  off  her  head,  had  he  so  willed. 
But  it  was  not  the  wont  of  Cuchulain  to  smite  from 
behind,  or  ever  to  hurt  a  woman.  But  he  stood  over  her, 
and  sternly  spoke. 

"  What  dost  thou  here,  O  Meave,  O  captain  of  the  host 
of  Erin  ?  Behold  thy  army  flies,  broken  and  discom- 
fited, across  the  stream,  seeking  its  native  province,  and 
the  army  of  the  men  of  Ulster  presses  hard  upon  their 
rear.  No  leader  have  they  to  guide  their  flying  bands  ; 
why  liest  thou  here  alone  ?  " 

Then  the  haughty  queen  replied  sadly,  and  with  all  her 

167 


1 68  Cuchulain 

spirit  gone  :  "  Queen  as  I  am,  and  captain  of  mine  host, 
yet  have  I  but  a  woman's  strength ;  my  forces  are  ex- 
hausted, and  my  power  is  gone  ;  fain  must  I  lie  and  rest. 
Help  me,  0  generous  foe,  I  claim  a  boon  from  thee  !  " 

"  What  boon  is  this  that  thou  dost  crave  of  me,  0 
Meave,  mine  enemy  ?  " 

"  I  ask  of  thee  to  take  myself  and  all  my  host  under 
the  strong  protection  of  thy  arm ;  keep  thou  the  ford 
for  them ;  ward  off  the  men  of  Ulster  who  press  on  us 
from  behind  ;  let  Connaught's  bands  return  in  peace  and 
safety  to  their  homes.  Guard  me  besides  till  to  my  help 
Ailill  and  Fergus  come,  and  safe  to  Cruachan  escort  me 
back  again.  Full  many  and  many  a  time  have  I,  in 
folly,  bragged  about  my  strength  and  all  the  power  of  my 
enormous  host ;  now  all  is  come  to  nought,  and  I  am 
spent  and  ill.     To  thee,  my  foe,  I  turn ;  protect  me  now." 

"  Never  shall  it  be  said,"  Cuchulain  replied,  "  that 
I  was  heedless  of  a  woman's  appeal.  Lie  there  in  peace. 
I  will  protect  the  host." 

So  while  the  twilight  deepened  into  night,  Cuchulain 
stood  up,  dauntless  and  alone,  between  the  men  of  Erin 
and  their  foes.  Safely  they  crossed  the  stream,  while  his 
own  followers  Cuchulain  held  at  bay,  hindering  and 
staying  them  from  cutting  off  the  rear.  Chafing  and 
vexed  they  stood,  yet  at  Cuchulain's  command  they 
restrained  themselves,  nor  was  one  man  of  Erin's  host 
cut  off  till  all  in  safety  reached  the  further  side. 

Late  in  the  evening  came  Fergus  up,  looking  for  Meave 
to  conduct  her  back  to  Cruachan.  Strange  was  the 
sight  he  saw.  In  peace  and  quiet,  Meave  was  taking 
rest  beneath  the  forest  trees  ;  her  troops  all  passed  across 
the  ford,  save  for  late  stragglers  who  came  safely  through 
the  Ulster  troops,  no  one  destroying  them.     There  on 


The  Humbling  of  Meave        169 

the  brink  Cuchulain  stood,  leaning  upon  his  sword  the 
'  Little  Hard,'  his  face  lined  deep  with  toil  and  thought. 
He  seemed  to  guard  the  enemy's  troops  from  his  own  men. 
Amazed,  and  uttering  not  a  sound,  Fergus  stood  still 
awhile  to  watch.  Then  in  a  mighty  laugh  that  reached 
the  firmament  he  burst  forth  :  "  Verily  and  indeed,"  he 
cried,  "  strange  is  the  ending  of  this  day.  A  woman's 
lead  we  followed  in  this  war,  fighting  against  the  bands 
of  our  own  kith  and  kin,  to  gratify  a  woman's  jealousy. 
To-day  our  host  is  cleared  and  swept  away ;  it  flies 
without  a  path,  without  a  lead,  caring  for  nought  but 
safely  to  reach  home.  Our  queen  lies  at  her  ease,  and 
our  worst  enemy  is  he  who  guards  and  shields  our  troops. 
Surely  and  in  truth,  'tis  wise  and  champion-like  to  follow 
where  a  woman  leads  the  way." 

Cuchulain  heard  that  scornful  laugh,  and  looking  up, 
saw  Fergus  standing  contemplating  him  and  them. 

"  High  time  thou  earnest,  my  foster-father  Fergus,  to 
guard  and  help  thy  queen.  I  leave  her  now  to  thee ;  my 
task  is  done.  Yet  that  it  never  may  be  said  that 
cowardice  or  weakness  made  Cuchulain  spare  the  flying 
troops  of  Ulster's  foes,  one  blow  I  strike  in  Ulster's 
honour  here."  Then  turning  quickly,  his  '  Little  Hard  ' 
he  swung  aloft,  and  on  the  summit  of  a  hillock  near 
at  hand  he  brought  it  down,  shearing  its  top  clean 
off.  "  Between  Connaught  and  Ulster  let  that  hill 
stand  evermore,  a  witness  to  our  strength  and  to  our 
gentleness  !  " 

Then  once  again  into  his  ruined  chariot  he  sprang, 
and  fast  as  his  two  steeds  would  bear  him  on,  he  hurried 
back  to  Ulster  and  the  king,  returning  glad  and  full  of 
victory  among  his  troops  to  Emain  and  to  Emer  once 
again.      And  from  that  time  Connaught  withheld  its 


170  Cuchulain 

hand,  nor  did  Meave  venture  ever  again  to  dispute  or 
war  with  Ulster. 

Now  the  Brown  Bull  had  passed  over  the  Shannon 
westward,  accompanied  by  his  fifty  heifers.  With  head 
in  air  and  bellowing  loudly  he  surveyed  the  great  track- 
less land  that  lay  before  him.  The  Whitehorned  heard 
his  bellowing  and  came  to  meet  him,  and  when  they  saw 
each  other,  straightway  with  terrific  force  they  rushed 
together. 

A  paroxysm  of  exceeding  fury  came  upon  them,  and 
up  and  down  they  moved,  their  nostrils  distended  and 
with  lowered  horns,  pushing  and  driving  and  goring, 
until  the  ground  was  red  with  blood  and  the  sods  torn 
up  and  flung  on  high.  Had  any  ventured  near  them, 
he  would  without  doubt  have  been  crushed  to  death 
beneath  their  hoofs  ;  and  when  night  came,  no  one  in  all 
the  country  dared  to  sleep,  for  terror  at  the  bellowing 
and  noise  they  made.  But  at  length  the  Whitehorned 
gave  way  before  the  Brown  Bull,  and  by  him  was  chased 
and  gored  until  no  spark  of  life  was  left  in  him,  and 
portions  of  his  flesh  were  caught  upon  the  Brown  Bull's 
horns.  Then,  as  he  was,  all  red  with  blood  and  fearful  to 
behold,  the  Brown  Bull  took  his  path  back  to  his  native 
home,  scattering  the  people  right  and  left  before  him, 
or  trampling  them  into  the  earth  beneath  his  hoofs. 
And,  at  the  last,  exhausted  with  his  flight,  the  spirit  fled 
from  him,  and  with  a  mighty  roar  and  fearful  bellowings, 
the  great  Brown  Bull  of  Cooley's  raid  fell  dead. 


CHAPTER  XX 
The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens 

ONCE  a  year,  in  the  autumn  days,  a  great  gather- 
ing was  made  of  the  men  of  Ulster,  and  from 
all  parts  men  and  women  would  come  to  share 
in  the  sports  and  marketing,  and  to  meet  their  friends, 
and  make  merry.  The  place  was  joyous  and  full  of 
gaiety  with  musicians  making  music  on  harps  and 
fiddles,  and  singers  singing,  and  jugglers  plying  their 
feats,  and  horse-racing  in  open  spaces.  The  warriors, 
too,  were  to  be  seen  exhibiting  their  trophies  of  war, 
and  telling  tales  of  their  combats  and  victories,  and  all 
were  dressed  in  their  best,  and  feasting  and  eating 
was  to  be  found  in  every  part  of  the  assembly. 

One  day  during  an  autumn  feast,  in  the  calm  and  quiet 
evening,  Cuchulain  and  Emer  his  wife  and  a  band  of  the 
brave  men  of  Ulster  who  accompanied  Cuchulain,  and 
of  the  gently  bred  women  who  were  Emer's  companions, 
were  amusing  themselves  strolling  and  sitting  beside  a 
lake,  apart  from  the  people  who  were  making  merry, 
when  they  saw  coming  from  a  distance  a  flock  of  white, 
very  beautiful  swans,  which  settled  down  upon  the  lake, 
and  began  to  swim  out  two  and  two.  "  How  I  wish," 
Emer  said,  "  that  I  could  have  two  of  those  birds,  one 
on  each  of  my  shoulders."  "  All  of  us  are  longing  for 
those  birds,"  cried  her  companions,  and  one  woman 
said,  "  If  only  my  husband  were  here  "  ;  and  another 

171 


i  7  2  Cuchulain 

woman  said,  "  If  only  my  husband  were  here,  he  would 
fetch  me  the  birds." 

And  Emer  looked  at  Cuchulain,  and  said,  "  I  think 
i/  anyone  should  have  the  birds,  it  is  I  who  ought  to 
have  them  first." 

But  Cuchulain  seemed  to  take  no  notice  of  what  they 
were  saying.  And  Emer  was  afraid  to  ask  him,  so  she 
went  to  Laeg,  his  charioteer,  and  said,  "  Come  thou  and 
tell  Cuchulain  that  the  women  are  asking  for  the  birds." 
So  Laeg  spoke  to  Cuchulain  :  "  The  women  wish  that 
you  should  go  and  hunt  the  swans  for  them  to-day." 

But  Cuchulain  looked  angry.  "  Can  the  women  of 
Ulster  find  no  better  occupation  for  me,"  he  said,  "  than 
to  set  me  catching  birds  for  their  amusement  ?  Let 
them  set  their  own  husbands  to  this  business,  for  it  is 
not  a  fitting  sport  for  me."  "  This  is  their  fete-day,"  said 
the  charioteer,  "  and  they  would  like  a  gift  from  you." 

"Bring  me  my  chariot,  then,"  Cuchulain  said;  "a 
fine  heroic  deed  it  is  to  be  taking  birds  for  women,  and 
worthy  of  a  champion's  valour." 

Angrily  he  went  to  the  water's  edge,  and  pursued  the 
swans  in  his  chariot,  bringing  down  a  number  of  them 
with  his  sword  and  with  stones,  so  that  they  fell,  flapping 
their  wings  against  the  water.  And  he  picked  them  up, 
and  threw  them  down  before  the  women,  and  returned 
to  Emer,  but  to  her  he  gave  not  any  birds  at  all. 

"  Are  you  angry  ?  "  he  said  to  her.  "  Certainly  I  am 
not,"  said  she  ;  "  you  gave  the  birds  to  the  women,  and 
this  was  the  same  as  though  I  myself  had  given  them  ; 
right  glad  I  am  that  you  did  this  to  please  the  women." 
Then  Cuchulain' s  brow  cleared,  and  he  said,  "  When- 
ever birds  come  again  on  our  plain,  the  two  most  beauti- 
ful of  all  I  will  bring  down  for  you." 


The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens       173 

Hardly  were  the  words  out  of  his  mouth,  than  slowly 
sailing  out  of  the  far  distance  and  bearing  down  to- 
wards them,  they  saw  two  noble  swans,  larger  and  more 
splendid  than  any  of  those  that  had  been  on  the  lake 
before.  The  birds  were  chanting  a  gentle,  mystic  song, 
that  soothed  all  who  listened  to  it  to  sleep ;  and  they 
were  linked  together  with  a  golden  chain.  White  and 
soft  was  their  plumage,  and  they  seemed  to  have  human 
reason,  for  they  moved  together,  with  one  mind,  towards 
Cuchulain  and  his  wife. 

"  There  are  your  birds,  O  Emer,"  said  Cuchulain,  and 
he  rose  up  to  pursue  them  and  fetch  them  down  for  her. 
But  Emer  was  afraid.  "  Go  not  against  those  birds," 
she  said,  "  you  shall  get  birds  for  me  another  day  ;  there 
is  some  magic  power  in  those  birds,  and  you  may  come 
to  harm." 

"  I  am  not  afraid  of  birds,"  Cuchulain  said,  and 
laughed  ;    "  place  a  stone  in  my  sling,  O  Laeg." 

So  he  took  the  sling  and  made  a  very  careful  aim,  but 
for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  missed  his  aim,  and  the 
stone  went  past  the  birds.  "  On  my  word,"  said 
Cuchulain,  "  this  is  a  strange  thing ;  from  the  day  on 
which  I  first  assumed  arms  till  now,  never  have  I  missed 
a  mark.     Give  me  another  stone." 

Then  he  aimed  again,  more  carefully  than  before,  but 
again  the  stone  went  past  them,  and  they  sailed  along 
unheeding.  Then  Cuchulain  was  angry,  and  he  seized 
his  spear,  and  flung  it  at  the  birds.  And  the  aim  was 
so  good  that  it  seemed  as  though  the  spear  went  through 
the  swans,  but  for  all  that  they  flew  away  unhurt,  save 
that  the  wing  of  one  of  them  was  broken.  But  when 
Cuchulain  saw  that  the  swans  were  taking  flight,  he 
flung  off  his  mantle  and  ran  after  them,  Laeg  following 


174  Cuchulain 

hard  behind.  The  swans  flew  slowly  round  the  bend 
of  the  lake,  and  disappeared  beneath  the  water  ;  and 
when  Cuchulain  came  after  them  round  the  point  of  land, 
he  saw  them  no  more,  and  though  he  gazed  far  out  upon 
the  water,  and  up  to  the  passing  clouds  of  heaven,  he 
could  not  tell  whither  the  birds  were  gone. 

He  looked  about  him,  but  he  did  not  recognise  the 
place  in  which  he  was,  although  he  was  on  the  Plain  of 
Murthemne,  in  his  own  country. 

"  Where  are  the  birds  gone,  and  where  are  we,  O 
Laeg  ?  "  said  Cuchulain,  for  he  was  sore  perplexed. 
And  a  strange  weariness  overtook  him,  and  he  leaned  his 
back  against  a  pillar  stone  that  was  hard  by,  and  drowsi- 
ness fell  upon  him.  But  Laeg  seemed  to  be  asleep,  for  he 
gave  no  answer. 

Then  in  a  vision  Cuchulain  saw  two  graceful  women 
approach  him,  clad  in  fairy  mantles  of  green  and  purple, 
and  they  had  little  switches  of  osier  in  their  hands,  and 
they  began  to  strike  him  gently  with  the  rods,  first  one 
and  then  the  other,  as  though  they  played  a  game  with 
him,  and  it  seemed  to  Cuchulain  that  all  his  strength 
departed  from  him  while  they  touched  him  with  their 
rods. 

Then  he  said,  but  his  voice  sounded  to  himself  but 
far  away  and  strange,  "  Who  are  ye,  fair  ladies,  and 
what  do  ye  want  with  me  ?  "  "  We  are  come,"  said 
the  first,  "  out  of  Moy  Mell,  the  Land  of  all  Delight,  the 
radiant  Honey-Plain  beyond  the  waves,  to  seek  thy 
friendship.  Liban  am  I,  wife  of  Labra  the  Swift,  the 
Wielder  of  the  Sword,  the  monarch  of  that  land.  I  come 
to  bid  thee  welcome,  if  thou  wilt  succour  him  against  his 
foes  ;  for  Senach  the  Spectral  has  challenged  him  to 
battle,  and  alone  he  is  not  strong  enough  to  meet  him 


The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens       175 

and  his  gruesome  phantom  host.  Come  therefore  to  his 
help.  Never  until  this  day  has  monarch  out  of  Fairy- 
land called  for  the  help  of  any  mortal  man,  but  on  the 
Plain  of  all  Delights  thy  fame  and  thy  renown  are 
known  ;   Cuchulain  of  the  hundred  feats  is  known." 

"  We  come,"  said  the  second  lady,  "  upon  another 
quest.  With  Labra,  called  the  Swift,  the  Wielder  of  the 
Sword,  dwells  beauteous  Fand,  betrothed  to  old  Man- 
annan  of  the  Waves.  Above  the  splendour  of  all  women 
of  this  earthly  world  shines  out  the  noble  loveliness  of 
Fand,  Manannan's  chosen  wife.  Like  the  pure  crystal 
clearness  of  a  tear  is  the  fairness  of  her  face,  and 
for  that  reason  is  she  named  Fand,  that  is,  '  a  tear.' 
Now  tales  of  thy  renown  have  come  to  Fand,  the  praise 
of  young  Cuchulain,  Champion  of  Murthemne's  plain, 
and  sore  she  longeth  with  her  own  eyes  to  look  on  thee, 
and  see  thy  warlike,  comely  form.  Therefore  we  come, 
that  if  thou  wilt,  we  may  conduct  thee  to  the  Honey- 
plain,  the  Land  of  all  Delights.  We  are  the  swans  that 
swam  upon  the  lake,  and  see,  with  thy  rough  spear,  how 
thou  hast  torn  and  hurt  my  hand." 

"  I  am  in  no  fit  state  to-day  to  contend  with  men  or 
demon  hosts,"  Cuchulain  said ;  "let  Laeg  go  with  you, 
and  let  him  come  again  and  tell  me  of  your  land.  I  am 
not  strong  or  well  to-day,  and  over  and  above  all  this, 
never  would  I,  with  any  man  or  host  do  battle  on  the 
asking  of  a  woman." 

"  Come  thou,  then,  Laeg,"  she  said  ;  "I  will  take  care 
of  thee,  and  bring  thee  safely  back.  But  it  is  woe  and 
alas  that  thy  master  will  not  come." 

"  Indeed,"  said  Laeg,  "  never  in  all  my  life  until  to-day 
have  I  been  put  under  a  woman's  guard.  This  kind  of 
woman's  rule,  I  vow,  pleaseth  me  not  at  all." 


76 


Cuchulain 


"  Nevertheless,  O  master  Laeg,"  she  said,  "it  is  only 
under  my  guidance  that  thou  canst  reach  Moy  Mell. 
Haste  then,  and  come,  for  Labra  waits  for  us."  Still  Laeg 
protested,  and  would  not  have  gone,  but  that  Cuchulain 
urged  him  ;  and  at  the  last  forward  they  went,  Laeg 
and  the  women,  walking  together  a  long  while,  till  they 
perceived  an  island  in  the  lake,  and  on  the  near  side  lay 
a  skiff  of  bronze,  burnished  and  very  light,  waiting,  it 
seemed,  to  carry  them  across.  It  had  no  oar  or  sail 
or  men  to  guide  or  ferry  it  along,  but  as  they  touched  it 
with  their  feet,  swiftly  it  moved  outward  from  the  bank, 
and  with  straight  aim  across  the  lake  it  bore  them  to  the 
door  of  the  palace  that  was  in  the  island. 

About  the  palace-gate  they  beheld  a  troop  of  warriors, 
coming  out  to  meet  them.  "  Where  is  Labra  the 
Swift-handed  ?  "  demanded  Liban.  "  He  returns  from 
gathering  his  troops  and  armies  for  the  conflict  on  the 
morrow,"  they  replied  ;  and  even  as  they  spoke,  the 
rattle  of  a  chariot  was  heard  approaching.  "  He  comes, 
make  way,"  they  cried ;  "  Labra  Swift-handed,  Wielder 
of  the  Sword,  returns  from  the  battle-field." 

Then  drew  near  a  dark,  stern  warrior,  whose  horses 
out-stripped  the  March  wind  in  their  swiftness.  In  his 
right  hand  he  held  his  upright  long-shafted  spear,  and 
at  his  side  hung  a  terrible  two-handled  sword,  double- 
bladed,  strong.  Rugged  and  full  of  care  was  that 
warrior's  face,  and  gloom  sat  on  his  brow.  And  Liban 
said,  "  The  spirit  of  Labra  is  depressed  to-day  ;  I  will  go 
out  and  greet  him."  She  went  forward  to  bid  him 
welcome,  and  when  he  saw  her,  his  face  cleared,  and  he 
exclaimed,  "  Has  the  Hound  of  Ulster  come  ?  "  "  The 
Hound  of  Ulster  cometh  not  to-day,"  she  said,  "  but 
Laeg  is  here,  and  surely  he  himself  will  come  to-morrow. 


The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens        177 

Fear  nothing,  Labra,  Wielder  of  the  massive  sword, 
King  of  the  Honey-plain,  the  hosts  shall  be  hewn  down 
before  thee,  and  women  shall  weep  their  dead,  when  once 
Cuchulain  comes. 

Then  Labra  called  Laeg  and  said,  "  Welcome,  O  Laeg  ; 
for  the  sake  of  him  from  whom  thou  comest,  for  the  sake 
of  the  lady  with  whom  thou  comest,  thrice  welcome 
to  this  land.  But  now  return  to  thine  own  home,  O 
Laeg,  and  set  my  message  before  thy  master,  before  the 
Victorious  Hound,  and  bid  him  come  and  help  me,  for 
the  Plain  of  Honey  is  changed  to  a  plain  of  slaughter  and 
red  war,  and  hosts  are  gathering  to  destroy  us  ;  seest 
thou  yonder  how  they  come  ?  " 

Then  Laeg  looked,  and  far  off  on  the  plain  he  saw 
armies  coming  up  like  hosts  of  demon  men,  obscure  and 
silently ;  in  bands  and  troops  they  ranged  themselves 
across  the  plain.  Afar  and  farther  yet  he  saw  them 
crowding  on,  while  over  them  their  dusky  pennons  flew, 
and  their  great  spears  pointed  aloft.  Yet  though  so  great 
a  host  was  assembling,  never  a  sound  was  heard  ;  but 
like  an  army  of  the  dead  they  moved,  noiseless  and 
swift ;  only  upon  the  air  there  came  a  sound,  low  and 
soft  and  still,  like  wailing  of  the  wind  in  forest  trees,  and 
then  Laeg  knew  that  they  were  playing  the  Dord  Fiansa 
upon  the  points  of  their  great  spears. 

"  To-morrow  will  the  battle  be  joined,"  said  Labra, 
"  and  though  our  warriors  are  good,  we  cannot  stand 
before  this  host.  Pray  therefore  thy  most  valiant  lord 
without  loss  of  time  to  come  and  succour  us." 

And  Laeg  said,  "  Surely  he  will  come,"  and  with  that 
he  set  out  to  return  again. 

Now  when  Laeg  left  his  master  at  the  pillar- stone, 
Cuchulain  lay  for  a  long  while  in  a  trance  ;    and  there 

M 


178 


Cuchulain 


Fergus  and  the  men  of  Ulster  found  him,  and  they  were 
perplexed  to  guess  what  had  happened  to  him  or  whither 
Laeg  had  gone.  At  length  Cuchulain  sat  partly  up, 
but  all  his  strength  was  gone  from  him  And  he  said, 
"  Carry  me  to  the  Speckled  House  of  the  Red  Branch 
Champions  of  Ulster,  and  lay  me  there  among  the 
weapons."  For  the  Champions  of  Ulster  were  called 
'  Champions  of  the  Red  Branch,'  and  they  had  three  halls 
set  apart  for  them  in  the  palace  of  the  King  at  Emain 
Macha.  In  the  speckled  house  they  hung  their  weapons 
and  stored  their  trophies ;  it  was  called  the  Speckled 
House  because  of  the  bright  spots  of  light  made  by  the 
flickering  of  the  sun  as  it  danced  on  the  weapons  round 
the  wall. 

So  they  carried  Cuchulain  to  the  Speckled  House  and 
laid  him  there  upon  a  bed  with  his  own  weapons  hung 
above  his  head  ;  and  Fergus  and  Conall  the  Victorious, 
and  the  other  warriors  who  were  his  friends  took  turns  to 
watch  him  as  he  lay.  For  a  whole  year  he  lay  thus  in 
trance  and  no  word  did  he  speak  all  that  time.  For  a 
year  with  mortal  men  is  but  a  day  in  fairy-land. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  Laeg  returned,  and  he  found  his 
master  thus  asleep  and  speechless,  but  he  knew  not  that 
he  had  been  away  more  than  a  single  day.  Greatly  was 
Laeg  disturbed  at  the  condition  of  his  master,  for  he 
knew  that  Labra  awaited  his  coming  on  the  morrow. 
Then,  as  he  pondered  how  he  should  awaken  him,  there 
came  amongst  them,  silently  and  unannounced,  a  noble 
youth  of  princely  mien,  who  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  bed 
and  looked  down  on  Cuchulain  as  he  lay.  They  knew 
not  how  he  had  come  in,  for  the  doors  were  shut,  and  no 
man  had  seen  him  enter.  Fergus  and  Conall  the  Vic- 
torious sprang  to  their  feet  and  laid  their  hands  on  their 


The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens       179 

swords  to  protect  Cuchulain.  But  the  stranger  said, 
"  I  am  Angus,  god  of  youth,  come  out  of  fairy-land  to 
heal  Cuchulain  ;  if  the  man  who  lies  there  sick  were  but 
in  health,  he  would  be  a  protection  to  me  against  all 
Ulster.  Although  he  now  lies  ill,  he  still  is  my  protector, 
and  so  much  the  more  than  if  he  were  in  health,  for 
sure  am  I  that  none  would  hurt  me,  while  he  is  unfit  to 
take  my  part." 

"  None  here  will  hurt  or  injure  you,"  said  all ;  "  wel- 
come art  thou  for  the  sake  of  him  for  whom  thou  hast 
come." 

Then  the  stranger  stood  up  and  sang  to  Cuchulain  a 
mystic  strain,  which  none  of  those  who  stood  by  could 
understand ;  but  in  truth,  he  was  calling  Cuchulain  to 
Fairy-land,  the  Plain  of  all  Delight,  for  Fand  it  was  who 
sent  him  to  invite  Cuchulain  thither.  And  as  he  sang, 
lo  !  Cuchulain  sat  upright  in  his  bed,  and  his  vision 
went  from  him,  and  he  felt  his  natural  strength  returning 
to  him  again.  But  when  they  looked,  Angus  was  gone, 
and  they  knew  not  whither  or  how  he  went. 

But  Fergus  and  Conall  greeted  Cuchulain  lovingly  and 
said,  "  Tell  us  now  what  happened  unto  thee."  And 
Cuchulain  told  them  all  that  had  come  to  him,  and  of 
the  fairy  women  with  their  wands  of  osier  who  had  met 
him,  and  how  his  strength  departed  when  they  touched 
him  with  the  wands. 

Then  Cuchulain  called  Laeg,  and  said,  "Go  to  Emer 
of  the  beautiful  hair,  who  is  sorrowing  for  me  in  my  own 
home,  in  Dun  Dalgan,  and  say  to  her  that  the  fairy 
women  have  taken  my  strength  from  me,  and  that  I  am 
not  able  to  come  to  her  ;  but  tell  her  that  it  goeth  better 
with  me  from  hour  to  hour,  and  that  I  would  have  her 
come  to  me  to  comfort  me." 


r8o  Cuchulain 

And  Laeg  took  that  message  to  Emer,  and  he  found 
her  weeping  in  Dun  Dalgan.  And  she  said,  "  It  is 
strange  to  me,  O  Laeg,  that  though  for  a  whole  year  your 
master  has  been  lying  ill,  not  one  of  you  has  sought  to 
heal  or  succour  him.  Well  known  is  it  that  you  possess 
the  power  to  go  away  to  fairy-land,  where  all  herbs  of 
healing  are  to  be  found,  yet  never  have  you  sought  a 
fairy  herb  to  cure  your  master.  Surely  some  warrior 
or  wise  man  of  Ulster  might  have  done  some  heroic  deed 
to  bring  him  back  from  the  sore  sickness  in  which  he 
lies  !  Had  Fergus  or  Conall  been  sick  or  wounded,  or 
had  they  lost  their  sleep,  or  had  King  Conor  been  bound 
down  in  enchanted  slumber  as  now  Cuchulain  is,  short 
would  have  been  the  time  till  Cuchulain  would  have  done 
some  mighty  deed  or  have  sought  some  magic  means  of 
healing  them.  Certain  it  is  he  would  have  gone  into  the 
fairy  mounds,  or  through  the  solid  earth  itself  ;  the 
great  wide  world  he  would  have  searched  from  end  to 
end,  until  he  found  some  plant  of  healing  that  would  have 
saved  and  wakened  them.  But  as  for  me,  for  a  whole 
year  have  I  not  found  one  night  of  sweet  repose,  since 
he,  the  Hound  of  Ulster,  lay  bound  down  with  magic 
chains.  Sore  is  my  heart  and  sick ;  bright  music  nor  the 
voice  of  pleasant  friendship  strikes  my  ear ;  blood 
presses  on  my  heart  since  Cuchulain  lay  in  fairy 
toils." 

Then  to  the  Speckled  House  she  went  in  haste,  and 
stayed  not  until  she  entered  the  hall  where  Cuchulain 
lay,  weak  and  prostrate  upon  his  bed. 

She  seated  herself  at  the  side  of  the  bed  and  touched 
Cuchulain's  hand,  and  kissed  him,  and  she  called  on  him 
to  come  back  from  fairy-land.  "  Awake,  awake,  O 
champion  of  Ulster,  shake  off  this  fairy  sickness ;  not  fit 


The  Fairy  Swan-Maidens        1 8 1 

is  it  that  a  chariot-warrior  should  lie  upon  his  bed.  Lo  ! 
Ulster  calls  upon  her  Hound  of  Battle.  Lo  !  friends  and 
comrades  call.  Lo !  I,  thy  wife,  am  at  thy  side. 
Awake  !   awake  !   O  Hound  !  " 

At  that,  Cuchulain  stood  up  and  opened  wide  his  eyes, 
and  he  saw  Emer  of  the  beautiful  hair  seated  at  his  side. 
Then  he  passed  his  hand  across  his  face,  and  his  heaviness 
and  weariness  passed  away  from  him,  and  he  arose  and 
embraced  his  friends  and  is  own  and  only  wife  ;  and  he 
felt  his  strength  returning  to  him,  and  his  old  vigour 
coming  to  him  again. 

And  he  said  to  Emer,  "  For  one  day,  O  wife,  spare  me 
yet ;  for  there  is  a  deed  of  battle-valour  that  I  must 
perform  to-day,  and  after  that  I  will  come  home  to  you. 
Go  before  me  to  Dun  Dalgan,  and  prepare  a  feast  and  call 
my  comrades  and  my  friends  together.  I  will  but  go  and 
come  again."  Then  Emer  set  out  for  Dun  Dalgan  to 
prepare  the  feast,  but  for  a  whole  year  she  waited  for 
Cuchulain,  watching  daj7  by  day,  and  yet  he  came  not. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

How  Cuchulain  went  to  Fairy-Land 

HEN  Cuchulain  left  Emer,  he  went  forward 
to  the  fairy-rath  where  he  had  seen  Liban, 
and  he  found  her  waiting   for  him  to  take 
him  to  Labra's  Isle. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  the  way  they  took  was  long,  for 
they  passed  over  the  Plain  of  Speech,  and  beyond  the 
Tree  of  Triumphs,  and  over  the  festal  plain  of  Emain, 
and  the  festal  plain  of  Fidga,  until  they  came  to  the  place 
where  the  bronze  skiff  awaited  them,  to  take  them  to  the 
Isle  of  all  Delights.  A  noble  and  right  hospitable 
welcome  was  prepared  for  Cuchulain  in  that  Isle,  but 
he  would  not  rest  for  that,  but  bade  Labra  conduct  him 
without  delay  to  the  Plain  of  Combat.  So  Labra  bade 
him  mount  his  chariot  and  together  they  passed  on  to 
the  Plain  of  Combat,  where  the  armies  of  the  phantom 
hosts  were  assembled  for  the  fight  upon  the  morrow. 
On  one  side  were  the  hosts  of  Labra,  very  few,  but  picked 
and  chosen  men  in  splendid  garb,  with  arms  of  the  best 
in  their  hands  ;  but  on  the  side  of  Senach  the  Spectral, 
as  far  as  eye  could  reach  on  every  side,  rose  lines  of  black 
and  gloomy  tents,  with  black  pennons  flying  from  their 
poles.  Gaunt  heroes  clothed  in  black  moved  about 
amongst  the  tents,  and  all  the  horses  that  they  rode 
were  red  as  blood  with  fiery  manes.  And  over  the  whole 
there  hung  a  mist,  heavy  and  lowering,  so  that  Cuchulain 

182 


Cuchulain  in  Fairy-Land         183 

could  not  see  how  far  the  host  extended  for  the  gloom 
of  that  heavy  mist. 

And  sounds  rose  on  the  air,  like  the  muttering  of  a 
demon  host,  quarrelling  and  wrangling,  so  that  a  man 
might  well  shiver  before  such  a  sound.  But  when  he 
saw  the  demon  host,  the  spirit  of  Cuchulain  revived 
within  him,  and  he  felt  his  old  force  and  courage  and  his 
strength  returning  to  him,  and  all  his  weakness  passed 
away. 

And  he  said  to  Labra,  "  I  would  fain  drive  round  the 
host  and  number  them."  In  ever- widening  circles  he 
began  to  drive  round  the  tents.  But,  as  he  drove,  on 
every  side  they  sprang  up  before  him  innumerable  as  the 
blades  of  grass  on  a  meadow-field,  or  as  the  stars  on  a 
brilliant  summer's  night,  or  like  the  grains  of  sand  upon 
the  ocean's  shore.  Black  and  gloomy  they  stood  on 
every  hand,  and  grim  and  gaunt  the  warriors  who  moved 
about  amongst  them,  and  terrible  their  blood-red  steeds. 
It  seemed  to  Cuchulain  that  the  smell  of  blood  was 
already  in  the  air,  and  all  the  plain  was  dark  and  dim 
with  mist,  so  that  he  could  not  count  or  number  them, 
or  see  the  end  of  them  at  all. 

But  the  spirit  of  Cuchulain  faltered  not,  and  he  re- 
turned to  Labra,  and  said  to  him,  "  Leave  me  now  alone 
with  this  great  army  and  take  away  with  you  the 
champions  you  have  brought.  This  battle  I  will  fight 
alone." 

So  Labra  and  his  men  departed  and  Cuchulain  re- 
mained alone  facing  the  phantom  host.  Then  two 
ravens,  the  birds  of  knowledge  and  destiny,  with  whom 
are  the  secrets  of  the  druids,  came  between  Cuchulain 
and  the  host,  and  all  that  night  they  made  a  dismal 
croaking,  so  that  the  demon  men  grew  sore  afraid. 


i84 


Cuchulain 


"  One  would  think,"  they  said,  "  that  the  Madman 
of  Emain  Macha  were  close  at  hand,  from  the  croaking 
of  those  ravens ;  "  for  it  was  thus  they  spoke  among 
themselves  of  Cuchulain,  because  he  changed  his  aspect 
in  time  of  combat,  and  a  wild  and  strange  appearance 
came  upon  him.  And  they  chased  away  the  ravens, 
and  left  no  place  of  rest  for  them  in  all  that  land. 

All  that  night  Cuchulain  stood  with  his  hand  upon  his 
spear,  watching  the  demon  host.  Very  early  in  the 
morning,  he  saw  one  of  their  chief  leaders  going  forth 
out  of  his  tent,  to  bathe  his  hands  at  the  spring  ;  and 
his  tunic  fell  back  and  left  his  shoulder  bare.  At  once, 
with  a  cast  of  his  spear,  Cuchulain  transfixed  him 
through  his  shoulder  to  the  earth. 

When  the  demon  host  saw  their  captain  fall,  they  arose, 
and  in  swarms  and  close  battalions  they  came  down 
upon  Cuchulain.  Then  his  war-fury  came  upon  him, 
and  wildly  and  terribly  he  attacked  them,  scattering 
them  to  right  and  left ;  and  so  furious  was  he  and  so 
deadly  were  his  blows,  that  they  feared  to  come  nigh 
him.  It  filled  them  with  awe  to  see  one  single  man 
fighting  with  a  host ;  but  as  the  shining  of  the  sun 
drives  the  mist  before  it  on  a  dewy  morn  of  early  spring, 
so  did  the  radiance  of  the  face  of  Cuchulain  disperse  and 
drive  away  the  army  of  the  demons,  for  they  could  not 
stand  before  the  splendour  and  the  shining  of  his 
countenance.  Then  Senach  the  Spectral  attacked  him, 
and  furious  was  the  contest  fought  between  them,  but 
in  the  end  Cuchulain  prevailed  and  slew  him  ;  and  all 
the  host,  when  they  saw  that,  turned  and  fled. 

At  length  Cuchulain  returned,  his  sword  dripping  with 
blood  ;  and  the  heat  of  his  body  after  the  fight  was  such 
that  water  had  to  be  thrown  over  him,  before  he  could 


Cuchulain  in  Fairy-Land        185 

be  touched  ;  and  the  men  of  Labra  feared  that  his  wrath 
would  turn  against  themselves.  They  brought  him  into 
the  house  and  bathed  him  and  changed  his  raiment, 
and  slowly  his  own  appearance  came  back  upon  him  ; 
and  after  that,  they  led  him  to  Fand,  who  awaited  his 
return  with  her  fifty  maidens  round  her.  Very  beautiful 
was  the  house  in  which  Fand  and  Labra  awaited  Cuchu- 
lain. Couches  of  copper  with  pillars  of  fine  gold  were 
ranged  around  the  hall,  and  soft  pillows  and  cushions 
of  coloured  silk  were  piled  on  each  of  them  ;  the  flashing 
of  the  jewels  from  the  golden  pillars  giving  light  to  all 
who  were  in  the  house.  Noble  youths  in  glossy  gar- 
ments of  smooth  silk  offered  drink  in  golden  goblets, 
and  as  they  drank,  the  harpers  and  musicians  gave  forth 
sweet  music,  and  the  story-tellers  recited  their  tales. 
Laughter  and  merriment  were  heard  throughout  the 
house,  while  from  the  eaves  the  fairy-birds  warbled  in 
harmony  with  the  music  of  the  harps.  Fifty  youths  of 
stately  mien,  and  fifty  maidens  with  twisted  hair  be- 
decked with  golden  coronals  waited  on  Fand,  on  Labra 
and  his  spouse.  Near  the  house  to  westward,  where  the 
sun  went  down,  stood  dappled  steeds,  pawing  the  ground 
and  ready  for  their  riders.  On  the  east  of  the  house 
stood  three  bright  apple-trees,  dropping  ruddy  fruit, 
and  in  front  of  the  door  a  tree  that  gave  forth  sweetest 
harmony,  such  as  would  sooth  wounded  men  to  sleep, 
or  bring  health  to  women  in  their  sickness.  Above  the 
well  another  tree,  with  silver  leaves  that  reddened  in 
the  sunlight,  dropped  fragrant  food,  pleasant  to  all  who 
tasted  it.  Ever  on  the  gentle  breeze  the  tops  of  the 
tree  swayed  together,  and  ever  they  swung  wide  ;  and 
as  they  met  food  fell  down  sufficient  for  thrice  three 
hundred  men.     A  vat  stood  in  the  hall,  full  to  the  top 


1 86  Cuchulain 

of  mead  and  sparkling  ale,  and  all  the  porch,  above  its 
silver  posts,  was  thatched  with  wings  of  birds,  in  stripes 
of  brown  and  red. 

Now  Fand  sat  on  a  dais,  waiting  for  Cuchulain.  And 
when  he  came  before  her,  clothed  as  a  king,  his  noble 
manly  form  bathed  and  refreshed,  his  golden  hair 
gathered  above  his  brow  round  an  apple  of  bright  gold, 
and  all  his  face  aflame  with  the  vigour  of  the  fight,  she 
thought  that  she  had  never  looked  upon  a  man  so 
brilliant  as  he. 

And  he,  when  he  looked  on  her,  knew  that  never  in  his 
life  had  he  seen  woman  half  so  fair  as  Fand.  "  Art  thou 
he,  Cuchulain  of  Murthemne,  the  Hound  of  Ulster  ?  " 
she  asked,  and  even  as  she  spoke  the  whole  band  of 
youths  and  maidens  rose  to  their  feet,  and  sang  a  chant 
of  welcome  to  Cuchulain. 

Then  Fand  placed  Cuchulain  at  her  right  hand,  and 
happy  and  gladsome  were  they  together,  and  for  a 
while  Cuchulain  forgot  Ulster,  and  his  place  at  Conor's 
hand,  and  all  the  cares  and  troubles  of  the  other  life  ; 
nay,  he  forgot  Emer  his  own  wife  and  the  feast  she  was 
preparing  for  him,  and  the  days  passed  quickly  and 
joyously  in  the  company  of  Liban  and  Labra  and  Fand. 
And  it  seemed  to  him  as  though  Erin  were  but  a  dark 
unquiet  land  beside  the  clearness  of  Moy  Mell,  the  Fairy- 
land of  all  Delights. 

At  length  one  night  he  could  not  sleep ;  not  all  the 
warbling  of  the  fairy-birds  from  the  branches  of  the  tree 
and  from  the  eaves,  nor  yet  the  sound  of  minstrel's 
strains  could  soothe  him  into  slumber.  For  he  re- 
membered Ulster  and  his  duty  to  his  king,  and  Emer 
and  the  feast  she  was  to  make  for  him,  and  all  his  warrior 
deeds  which  were  departing  from  him,  and  he  felt  he 


Cuchulain  in  Fairy-Land        187 

must  needs  forsake  the  Land  of  all  Delights  and  go  back 
to  his  work  in  Erin  once  again. 

In  the  morning  he  called  Fand,  and  told  her  he  must 
go  that  day,  for  he  knew  not  what  troubles  might  be 
happening  to  Ulster  while  he  was  away,  or  what  was  be- 
come of  Emer,  his  wife.  But  Labra  and  Fand  besought 
him  to  stay  yet  awhile,  and  they  called  the  musicians 
and  bid  them  chase  away  the  sudden  gloom  of  Cuchu- 
lain, and  they  brought  out  the  playing-games,  hurley  and 
chess,  and  raced  the  horses  to  please  him,  and  they 
harnessed  the  steeds  of  the  chariots  for  his  delight. 
But  even  for  all  this  Cuchulain  would  not  stay.  For 
he  said,  "  My  warrior-strength  is  passing  from  me  as  I 
rest  in  idleness,  my  vigour  is  decaying.  Let  me  then 
go,  for  I  am  not  as  the  little  dogs  that  play  about  their 
mistresses'  feet ;  I  am  a  Hound  of  war  and  conflicts  to 
stand  before  the  foe,  and  do  battle  for  my  country  and 
my  king." 

And  Cuchulain  sang  this  lay : 

"  No  pup  am  I  to  play  about  the  feet  of  ladies  fair, 
But  where  the  hounds  of  war  are  loosed  you'll  find  me  ever  there  ; 
No  mongrel  whelp  to  watch  the  fire  or  crouch  beside  the  hearth, 
I  stand  beside  the  fords,  I  scare  the  champion  from  his  path. 

"  My  bark  is  not  the  yelp  of  curs  cowed  to  the  heels  by  fear, 
But  the  deep  bay  of  winded  hounds  chasing  the  leaping  deer  ; 
No  swathes  of  wool  shall  bind  my  wounds,  no  cushioned  couch 

have  I, 
Amidst  the  carnage  of  the  slain  I  and  my  kind  shall  lie. 

"  No  silky  coat  of  well-combed  hair,  smooth  'neath  the  children's 

hand, 
But  a  fierce  mastiff,  gaunt  and  grim,  when  strife  invades  the  land  ; 
Where  fords  are  weak,  where  forts  blaze  red,  where  trumpets 

sound  for  war, 
The  (  Hound  of  Ulster  '  stands  at  guard,  or  drives  the  foe  afar." 


1 88  Cuchulain 

Then  when  Fand  saw  that  nothing  would  content 
him,  she  bade  him  a  gentle  kind  farewell ;  and  all  the 
youths  and  maidens  came  about  him,  sorrowing  that  he 
was  so  soon  weary  of  their  land.  But  Labra  thanked 
him  kindly  and  heartily  for  his  help  against  the  demon 
host  and  he  bade  Liban  take  Cuchulain  safely  back 
across  the  lake  to  Erin  once  again. 

But,  before  he  went,  Fand  lifted  up  her  lovely  witching 
face,  and  said,  "  Tell  me  some  place  where,  at  the  end 
of  a  year  from  now,  I  may  see  your  face  once  more. 
Never  till  now  have  I  ventured  forth  from  fairy-land ; 
but,  for  your  sake,  for  one  brief  hour  I  will  come  to  the 
land  of  troubled  mortal  men.     Give  me  a  tryst." 

Cuchulain  was  fain  to  deny  her  this,  for  he  thought  on 
Emer,  and  he  dreaded  her  anger  against  Fand,  if  she 
should  be  aware  of  it.  But  when  he  saw  the  crystal- 
fair,  witching  face  of  Fand,  and  her  ruby  lips  and  eyes 
bright  as  stars  on  a  summer's  night,  he  could  not  say 
her  nay  ;  and  he  made  a  tryst  with  her  on  the  Strand 
of  the  Yew-tree's  Head,  for  a  year  and  a  day  from  then. 
And  after  that,  they  bade  one  another  farewell. 

So  Cuchulain  came  home  again,  and  Emer  and  Laeg 
and  his  friends  greeted  him  right  lovingly,  and  he  told 
them  that  he  had  been  in  fairy-land,  and  of  all  its 
splendours  and  beauty  he  told  them  freely,  but  to  Emer 
he  said  not  anything  of  Fand. 

Now  when  a  year  and  a  day  were  past,  Cuchulain  came 
to  the  place  of  tryst  at  the  Strand  of  the  Yew-tree's 
Head,  and  he  and  Laeg  sat  beneath  the  ancient  yew- 
tree  playing  chess,  while  waiting  for  the  coming  of  Fand. 
It  chanced  that,  as  Emer  walked  that  way  with  her 
fifty  maidens  to  take  the  air  beside  the  shore,  she  beheld 
approaching  a  dignified  lady,  radiant  as  the  clearness 


Cuchulain  in  Fairy-Land        189 

of  a  day  in  June,  who  came  with  a  troop  of  maidens 
towards  Cuchulain.  Very  swiftly  and  softly  they 
moved  across  the  plain,  as  though  they  hardly  touched 
the  sod,  and  all  the  land  was  filled  with  their  brightness. 

It  appeared  to  Emer  that  they  had  come  across  the 
lake,  yet  no  sign  of  skiff  or  boat  was  to  be  seen,  and  the 
unknown  queen  came  where  Cuchulain  sat,  and  he  rose 
up  and  made  a  glad  gentle  greeting  before  her,  and  she 
sat  down  by  him,  and  they  talked  pleasantly  and 
lovingly  together. 

When  Emer  saw  this,  she  was  filled  with  jealousy  and 
anger  against  the  fairy-woman,  and  to  herself  she  said, 
"  This,  then,  O  Cuchulain,  was  the  cause  that  kept 
thee  so  long  in  fairy-land,  when  I  made  that  feast  to 
which  thou  earnest  not." 

And  anger  and  dark  revenge  filled  Emer's  heart,  and 
she  turned  to  her  maidens  and  said,  "  Bring  me  here 
sharp-bladed  knives,  for  I  myself  will  go  softly  behind 
them  and  I  will  kill  the  woman  who  talks  with  Cuchulain." 

Then  they  went  and  fetched  thin  gleaming  knives, 
and  they  hid  them  beneath  their  mantles,  and  went 
stealthily  behind  the  place  where  Cuchulain  sat.  Now 
Cuchulain  saw  not  what  was  going  forward,  but  Fand 
knew,  for  she  sat  over  against  Cuchulain,  facing  the  way 
that  Emer  came.  She  said  to  Cuchulain,  "  Emer  thy 
wife  comes  here,  with  fifty  maidens,  and  there  are  sharp 
knives  hidden  beneath  their  cloaks." 

But  he  said,  "  Fear  nothing,  lady,  I  myself  will  speak  to 
Emer,  my  own  wife,  and  do  thou  wait  here  till  my  return." 

But  Emer  came  close  to  Cuchulain  and  cried,  "  Why 
dost  thou  do  me  this  dishonour,  O  Cuchulain,  to  leave 
me  for  a  fairy  maid  ?  The  women  of  Ulster  will  con- 
temn me  if  they  think  that  Cuchulain  loves  another 


1 90  Cuchulain 

woman  better  than  his  wife ;  and  what  have  I  done  to 
displease  thee,  that  thou  shouldst  need  to  talk  with  her  ? 
Never  have  I  left  thee  for  any  other,  and  well  and  truly 
have  I  loved  thee  from  the  day  thou  earnest  in  thy 
chariot  to  the  fort  of  Forgall  the  Wily,  my  father,  till 
today ;  and  for  ever  shall  I  love  thee,  and  none  other 
but  thee  alone." 

Then  Cuchulain  said,  "  You  wrong  me,  Emer,  and  you 
wrong  this  fairy-maid.  No  thought  at  all  of  harm  have 
we,  nor  can  any  other  be  to  me  what  thou  hast  been. 
Fair  and  pure  is  this  maiden,  and  a  worthy  mate  for 
any  monarch  in  the  world.  Her  race  is  noble,  her 
mind  is  firm  and  gentle  and  full  of  lofty  thoughts,  no 
harm  or  evil  will  be  found  in  her  or  me.  Moreover,  she 
is  betrothed  to  a  noble  spouse,  Manannan  of  the  Ocean 
Waves." 

"  In  very  truth,"  said  Emer,  bitterly,  for  her  heart 
was  sore  within  her  on  account  of  the  greatness  of  the 
love  she  bore  Cuchulain,  "it  is  ever  so  with  men  !  All 
that  is  new  is  fair,  and  all  that  is  old  is  of  little  worth  ; 
white  is  the  last  they  see,  and  the  others  are  but  grey  or 
black.  Sweet  is  the  thing  they  have  not,  but  sour  the 
fruit  the}'  hold  within  their  hands  !  Once  in  peace  and 
love  we  dwelled  together  and  no  one  came  between  us, 
and  in  peace  and  honour  we  might  dwell  together  again, 
O  Youth,  if  but  I  were  as  dear  to  thee  as  once  I  was  !  " 
And  great  tears  rolled  down  Emer's  cheeks,  and  her 
grief  weighed  heavily  upon  her. 

"  By  my  word  and  truly,"  cried  Cuchulain,  "  never 
wast  thou  more  dear  to  me  than  thou  art  to-day,  and 
dear  shalt  thou  be  to  me  for  all  my  life." 

"  I  think,"  said  Fand,  "  that  I  had  better  go  away, 
and  return  to  my  own  country,  for  I  am  troubling  you  all 


Cuchulain  in  Fairy-Land        igi 

here."  "  Nay,  nay,"  cried  Emer,  smitten  with  re- 
proach when  she  saw  the  nobleness  that  was  in  the 
fairy  woman,  "  go  not  away,  'twere  better  I  should  go." 

But  Fand  said,  "  Not  so,  indeed,  from  my  own  land 
they  call  me  to  return.  Take  to  thee  thy  man,  O  noble 
Emer,  no  harm  or  hurt  hath  happened  him  with  me. 
Though  in  the  Land  of  all  Delights  warriors  and  great 
men  sought  my  friendship,  better  to  me  than  the  affec- 
tion of  them  all  was  the  friendship  of  thy  glorious  spouse. 
Need  is  there,  now,  that  I  should  go  my  way,  and  leave 
my  friend  to  thee  ;  but  though  bright  and  dazzling  is  the 
country  of  Moy  Mell,  some  shadow  hath  fallen  on  it  since 
Cuchulain  went  away." 

Then  she  lifted  up  her  lovely  face,  and  Emer  saw  that 
tears  like  drops  of  crystal  stood  within  her  eyes. 

Long  years  ago  had  Fand  been  betrothed  to  Manannan, 
Lord  of  the  Ocean  and  the  Waves,  a  great  and  hoary 
god.  Ancient  was  he,  for  no  man  knew  his  age,  and  wild 
and  grey  his  hair,  and  all  his  brow  rugged  and  lined  with 
storms.  Very  kingly  and  majestic  was  his  tread,  but 
men  feared  him,  because  of  his  strange,  tempestuous 
moods,  and  his  shape-shifting,  and  his  little  care  for 
human  life.  For  Manannan  was  ever  restless,  wandering 
in  distant  lands,  moving  now  this  way,  now  that,  and 
visiting  in  turn  all  countries  ;  and  years  ago,  as  mortal 
men  count  time,  he  had  gone  away  and  returned  not, 
nor  did  Fand  even  know  where  he  was  to  be  found.  So 
she  thought  he  had  forsaken  her,  and,  when  Cuchulain 
came  to  fairy-land  and  she  saw  his  youth  and  beauty, 
her  mind  went  out  to  him,  for  never  had  she  seen  before 
a  noble  human  man. 

But  Manannan  knew  within  himself  that  Fand  was 
in  sore  grief,  and  he  arose  in  haste  to  go  and  help  her. 


192  Cuchulain 

For,  although  he  had  tarried  long  in  distant  lands,  daily 
he  had  news  of  Fand,  and  he  learned  all  she  was  doing 
and  when  she  needed  him.  So  now  he  saw  her  trouble, 
for  he  it  was  who  sent  Cuchulain  to  fairy-land  that  he 
might  test  her  love  for  himself  ;  and  swiftly  over  the 
waves  he  sped  to  go  and  save  her.  Invisible  was  he  to 
mortal  men,  and  he  rode  the  white  sea-foam  as  though 
it  were  a  horse,  for  no  need  had  he  of  any  vessel,  or  of 
sail  or  oar  ;  and  as  he  passed  by  Fand,  she  felt  his 
presence  and  looked  up  at  him  as  he  passed  by.  But 
for  a  moment  she  knew  not  that  this  was  Manannan  of 
the  Waves,  for  his  look  of  hoary  age  had  gone  from  him, 
and  the  man  she  saw  was  young  and  strong,  with  a 
noble  gentleness  upon  his  face,  like  the  sea  on  a  calm 
summer's  day. 

For  Manannan  was  a  shape-shifter,  and  at  one  time  he 
was  terrible  and  cruel  to  behold,  but  at  another  he 
showed  a  kindly  face,  for  he  looked  into  the  minds  of 
men,  and  as  he  saw  them,  even  so  his  own  face  reflected 
the  thing  he  saw.  Then  Manannan  said  to  Fand,  "  O 
Lady,  what  wilt  thou  now  do  ?  Wilt  thou  depart  with 
me  or  abide  here  with  Cuchulain,  if  he  comes  for  thee  ?  " 

"  By  my  troth,"  said  Fand,  "  either  of  you  two  were 
a  fitting  spouse  for  me,  and  a  worthy  friend  to  stay 
with  ;  and  in  neither  of  you  do  I  see  any  one  thing 
greater  or  better  than  is  in  the  other  ;  yet,  0  thou 
princely  One,  it  is  with  thee  that  I  will  go,  for  I  have 
been  promised  to  thee  for  thy  wife  ;  thou  hast  no  consort 
of  worth  equal  to  thine  own,  while  Cuchulain  has  a  noble 
spouse ;  therefore  take  me  with  thee,  for  Cuchulain 
needs  me  not." 

Then  Manannan  stretched  his  arms  to  Fand,  and  drew 
her  with  him,  and  she  followed  him.     And  Cuchulain 


Cuchulain  in  Fairy-Land       193 

perceived  her  drawing  away  from  him,  but  he  knew  not 
whither  she  went,  nor  could  he  see  who  was  talking 
to  her.  And  he  cried  out  to  Laeg,  his  charioteer,  who 
had  knowledge  of  fairy-land,  "  What  meaneth  this, 
Laeg,  that  I  see  ?     Whither  goeth  Fand  ?  " 

"  She  goeth  with  Manannan  of  the  Sea,"  replied 
Laeg.  "  He  is  drawing  her  back  to  the  Land  of  all 
Delights,  but  she  is  weeping  as  she  goes." 

Then  Cuchulain  uttered  three  sharp  cries  of  sorrow 
and  of  grief,  and  he  fled  away  from  men  into  desert 
places,  and  would  take  no  meat  or  drink,  and  he  slept 
in  the  open  rush-land  beside  the  high-road  to  Tara. 

Emer  went  then  to  Emain,  and  sought  King  Conor, 
and  told  him  all  that  had  happened,  and  that  Cuchulain 
was  out  of  his  senses  because  Fand  had  gone  away  ;  and 
she  prayed  him  of  his  love  for  Cuchulain,  and  because  of 
her  love  for  him,  to  send  to  him  men  of  skill  and  Druids 
who  might  bring  him  back  to  health.  The  king  did  so 
willingly,  but  when  they  came,  Cuchulain  fled  from  them, 
or  sought  to  slay  them,  until  at  length  he  felt  within  him- 
self a  terrible  thirst,  and  he  craved  of  them  a  drink. 
In  the  drink  they  mingled  herbs  of  forgetfulness,  so  that 
the  memory  of  Fand  slowly  faded  from  him,  and  the 
remembrance  of  the  time  he  had  spent  in  fairy-land,  and 
he  came  to  his  own  mind  again. 

They  gave  soothing  drinks  to  Emer  also,  for  she  was 
troubled,  too,  and  stricken,  and  her  natural  joyousness 
had  gone  from  her.  But  when  Manannan  heard  in 
fairy-land  of  the  trouble  of  Emer  and  Cuchulain,  he 
came  unseen  of  any  man,  and  shook  his  cloak  of  forget- 
fulness between  Fand  and  Cuchulain,  so  that  from  both 
of  them  the  memory  passed  away,  as  though  it  had  been 
a  dream,  and  they  thought  of  it  no  more. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Deirdre  of  Contentions 

EARS  passed  away,  and  the  memory  of  their 
old  feuds  died  down  between  Fergus  mac  Roy 
and  King  Conor  mac  Nessa.  Fergus  in  his 
old  age  wearied  for  his  home  and  country,  and  for  the 
comrades  of  his  youth.  The  private  wars  of  Meave 
had  little  interest  for  him,  and  the  tidings  that  came  from 
time  to  time  from  his  own  province  stirred  in  him  a 
longing  to  be  back.  So  at  length  he  bade  farewell  to 
Meave,  and  with  the  most  part  of  his  followers  he  re- 
turned to  Ulster,  and  settled  in  his  own  fort  again.  In 
order  to  keep  his  allegiance,  King  Conor  gave  him  a 
position  next  himself,  and  in  all  outward  things  showed 
him  honour,  but  all  the  while  he  watched  him  jealously, 
and  Fergus  knew  well  that  the  King  would  be  glad  to 
find  a  good  excuse  to  shut  him  up  in  bonds  or  to  put  him 
to  death.  Conor  feared  his  power  with  the  people,  and 
their  pride  and  affection  for  him  who  once  had  been 
their  king,  and  in  his  mind  Conor  knew  well  that  he  sat  in 
Fergus'  seat,  and  that  many  of  the  older  chiefs  would 
willingly  have  seen  their  rightful  prince  once  more  upon 
the  throne.  As  old  age  came  on  him,  Conor  grew  more  wily 
and  suspicious  year  by  year,  so  that  some  men  dreaded 
and  some  hated  him,  and  few  felt  for  him  affection  or  true 
reverence.  Yet  among  the  youthful  generation  growing 
up,  the  reign  of  Fergus  and  his  mighty  deeds  were  but  a 


Deirdre  of  Contentions         195 

tale  told  by  their  fathers  of  their  own  youthful  days ; 
and  though  they  looked  with  awe  upon  his  mighty 
stature  and  his  massive  form,  Fergus  seemed  to  them 
more  like  a  giant  of  the  ancient  time,  or  like  a  hoary  god, 
than  like  a  being  of  human  kind  as  they  were,  feeling  the 
needs  and  passions  of  a  man. 

Ulster  was  now  at  peace,  and  quietly  the  days  rolled 
by.  Once  more  the  sound  of  laughter  rang  out  from 
the  playing-fields.  New  boys,  grown  out  of  babyhood, 
played  the  old  sports,  lads  brave  and  manly  as  those  of 
other  days  ;  but  older  men,  passing,  would  shake  their 
heads  and  wipe  away  a  tear,  for  still  the  shadow  of  the 
tragedy  that  met  the  boy-corps  at  the  ford  hung  over 
them.  And  many  a  mother  wept  at  night  remembering 
a  bright  boy,  her  pride  and  darling,  swept  away  con- 
tending for  Cuchulain  and  for  Ulster  against  the 
warriors  of  Meave. 

From  time  to  time,  in  days  of  peace,  the  chiefs  of 
Ulster,  each  in  his  turn,  made  a  feast  for  Conor  and  the 
nobles  in  his  company,  the  famous  Champions  of  the 
Red  Branch.  In  his  turn,  Felim,  son  of  Doll,  the  chief 
of  the  King's  story-tellers  and  his  close  friend,  made  such 
a  feast  for  Conor. 

For  a  whole  year  had  Felim  been  preparing  for  the 
coming  of  the  King.  He  built  a  noble  banqueting  hall 
close  to  his  house,  and  sleeping  rooms  for  the  King's 
followers,  and  stables  for  their  steeds.  From  all  the 
country  round  the  farmers  brought  butter  and  cream, 
fresh  curds  and  cheeses,  cakes  and  wheaten  bread. 
Cattle  and  sheep  and  swine  worthy  of  the  royal  banquet 
were  brought  in,  and  fruits  and  onions,  honey  and  strong 
ale  were  stored  in  plenty  in  Felim's  vats  and  store- 
houses. 


196 


Cuchulain 


He  gathered  together  singing  men  and  singing  women, 
musicians  who  played  upon  the  fiddle  and  the  harp,  and 
the  best  tellers  of  stories  that  were  to  be  found  in  all  the 
country-side. 

On  the  day  appointed,  the  King  set  out  in  state  from 
Emain,  with  the  Champions  of  the  Red  Branch  in  his 
train. 

Fair  was  the  day  and  bright  when  Conor  and  his 
followers  set  out,  each  in  his  chariot  drawn  by  two 
spirited  steeds,  each  decked  in  his  festal  array,  in 
mantles  of  rich  crimson,  blue  or  purple,  fastened  with 
massive  brooches  of  pure  gold,  wondrously  chased  and 
set  with  stones  of  price  brought  out  of  distant  lands. 
Upon  their  heads  their  helmets  of  bright  bronze  shone 
in  the  sun,  and  on  their  spear-points  the  sunlight  danced 
so  that  they  seemed  to  move  along  beneath  a  flashing 
line  of  gold. 

But  as  they  neared  the  hall  the  sky  grew  overcast 
and  black  with  clouds,  and  at  the  fall  of  night  a  wind 
arose  and  blew  up  clouds  of  heavy  dust  that  dimmed 
their  brilliancy,  so  that  they  reached  the  mansion  of 
Felim  besmirched  and  blown  about  and  very  weary. 

Hardly  had  the  chariot  of  the  King  drawn  up  within 
the  court,  than  a  roll  of  thunder,  loud  and  terrible, 
resounded  overhead,  while  floods  of  rain  poured  down, 
and  a  fierce  tempest  seemed  to  shake  the  building  to  its 
foundations.  "  An  awful  night  is  this,"  said  Felim ; 
"  close  to  the  doors  and  bid  the  singing  men  and  women 
make  bright  cheerful  music  in  the  hall."  But  all  in 
vain  they  tried  to  cheer  the  guests.  Louder  the  tempest 
roared,  and  peal  on  peal  of  thunder,  such  as  none  of  them 
had  ever  heard  before,  made  all  hearts  quail.  "  No 
common  storm  is  this,"   the   monarch   said,    "  I  have 


Deirdre  of  Contentions         197 

forebodings  that  some  ill  will  fall  upon  the  province 
from  this  night."  But  Felim  busied  himself  to  push 
on  the  feast,  and  when  all  were  seated  at  the  board, 
with  servers  carving  the  great  joints  and  wine  poured 
out,  a  lull  came  in  the  storm,  and  Felim  thought  that  all 
was  well  at  last.  But  scarcely  had  the  King  begun  to 
eat,  when  a  swift  messenger  came  running  in.  "  0  King," 
he  proclaimed,  "  a  child  is  born  to  Felim,  a  fine  fair- 
fashioned  girl ;  let  Felim  come  and  see  his  wife  and  child." 
But  Felim  said,  "  Be  silent  now,  let  not  the  feast  be 
broken  by  your  news.  When  once  the  feast  is  done  and 
the  King  served,  I'll  come  and  see  the  child." 

Beside  the  King  sat  Caffa,  the  first  Druid  of  the  pro- 
vince, an  aged  man.  He  heard  the  message,  and  up- 
rose. "  A  child  is  born  to  our  host,  O  King,  while  we  are 
present  here.  I  will  go  forth  and  by  the  stars  find  out 
her  destiny,  whether  to  Felim  and  his  wife  comes  joy 
or  woe  with  this  girl's  birth."  "  Go  forth,"  the  King 
replied,  "  not  less  than  this  is  due  to  our  good  host. 
Fair  be  the  fate  that  will  befall  to  him  and  all  his  house 
because  this  child  is  born." 

Then  Caffa  went  far  out  beyond  the  house,  and  at  the 
outer  rath  he  stood  awhile,  trying  behind  the  drifting 
clouds  to  read  the  stars.  The  quarter  of  the  moon  he 
calculated  carefully,  and  in  what  constallations  the 
wandering  stars,  the  planets,  lay.  In  his  old  books 
and  tablets,  carried  within  the  folds  of  his  wide  flowing 
robes,  was  gathered  all  the  ancient  wizard's  lore,  the 
wisdom  of  his  craft.  Closely  he  scanned  the  lines,  and 
with  unusual  care  he  drew  the  horoscope.  And  now 
and  then  he  started,  as  though  things  surprising  to 
himself  were  found  therein. 

So  long  he  lingered,  that,  when  at  length  he  closed 


i98 


Cuchulain 


his  tablets  made  of  soft  wood  and  written  o'er  with  runes, 
and  turned  him  to  the  house,  the  King  and  all  his  company 
had  quite  forgot  the  child,  and  loud  uproarious  laughter 
rang  throughout  the  hall,  and  sallies  of  keen  wit  and 
merry  song  as  the  full  horns  of  mead  and  ale  passed 
round  from  hand  to  hand.  So  at  the  door  a  moment 
Caffa  stood  ;  and  in  his  face  was  dreadful  warning,  and 
a  look  so  strange,  that  all  the  laughter  died  away,  and 
silence,  sudden  and  complete,  fell  on  the  company. 

"  Well,"  said  the  King,  and  laughed,  though  fear  smote 
on  his  mind,  "  we  hope  the  omens  prophesy  good  luck  ; 
we  drink  a  horn  of  mead  to  the  maid's  good  health ; 
may  she  thrive,  grow  fair  and  marry  well,  and  to  her 
parents  bring  no  harm  or  ill." 

"  Not  to  her  parents  will  this  child  bring  ill,  but  to  the 
province,  and  to  Ulster's  king  and  chiefs.  Fair  she  will 
be,  so  fair  that  queens  will  soon  grow  jealous  of  her 
beauty,  and  kings  will  wage  red  war  to  gain  her  hand. 
I  see  her,  tall  and  stately  as  a  swan  or  as  the  sapling  of  the 
mountain-side  ;  her  cheek  the  ruddy  foxglove  puts  to 
shame,  her  skin  is  white  as  winter's  driven  snow.  Like 
the  soft  hyacinth  is  the  deep,  liquid  blue  of  her  sweet 
eyes,  and  teeth,  like  pearls,  gleam  between  crimson  lips. 
Like  to  a  crown  of  gold  her  clustering  hair,  gathered  in 
rolls  about  her  shapely  head.  She  walks  apart,  alone, 
like  a  fair  flower  hidden  within  a  dell,  yet  all  around  her 
and  where'er  she  comes  are  tumults  and  the  sounds  of 
rolling  war,  and  broken  friendships  and  black  treachery. 
I  see  that  she  is  destined  to  a  king,  but  something  comes 
between  her  and  her  fate.  Beware,  O  King  ;  this  maid 
is  born  for  ill  to  Ulster,  and  the  downfall  of  the  Red 
Branch  and  its  noble  Champions." 

Up-sprang  the  Heroes  of  the  Red  Branch  then,  and  one 


Deirdre  of  Contentions         1 99 

and  all  cried  out  that  if  upon  the  province  ill  must  fall 
because  of  this  one  babe,  'twere  better  far  to  put  the 
child  to  death  while  she  was  young,  and  rid  the  land  of 
her.  But  the  King  held  them  back.  "  Bring  the  babe 
hither,"  he  said,  "  and  let  us  see  this  harbinger  of  ill." 

Then  came  the  babe  all  swathed  in  white  and  lying, 
soft  and  fair,  within  her  nurse's  arms.  And  when  the 
infant  saw  the  lights  and  heard  the  sounds  of  singing,  she 
was  pleased,  and  puckered  up  her  baby  face  and  looked 
up  at  the  King  and  crowed  and  smiled.  At  this  the  King 
was  moved  to  gentleness  ;  he  rose  up  from  his  seat  and 
took  the  babe  out  of  her  nurse's  arms  and  loudly  he  pro- 
claimed before  them  all :  "  The  prophecies  and  omens 
of  the  seers  I  do  most  strictly  honour  and  believe.  No 
man  can  fly  from  fate,  nor  can  man  set  aside  his  destiny. 
The  mandates  of  the  gods  of  earth  and  air  and  fire,  the 
Unchanging  Elements,  must  be  fulfilled.  Yet  will  I  not 
believe  that  any  good  can  come  of  an  ignoble  act.  No 
man  or  hero  of  a  noble  mind  for  his  own  good  would  slay 
a  helpless  babe,  neither  then  for  the  good  of  Ulster  shall 
this  foul,  cowardly  deed  be  done.  The  child  shall  live, 
and  if  she  prove  as  fair  as  Caffa  says,  one  part  at  least  of 
his  grim  prophecy  shall  be  fulfilled,  for  I  will  take  the  girl 
as  my  own  wife  when  she  is  come  to  marriageable  age, 
and  so  she  shall  be  wedded  to  a  king.  And  here  I  do 
declare  to  one  and  all,  I  take  this  child  under  my  special 
charge  and  make  myself  responsible  for  her.  I  bring 
her  up  in  my  own  way,  and  he  who  lifts  his  hand  aga  nst 
the  child  must  after  reckon  with  the  king  himself." 

Then  Fergus,  Conall  Cernach,  and  the  rest  arose  and 
said  :  "  The  King's  protection  is  a  circling  wall  through 
which  no  man  may  break.  We,  the  Champions  of  the 
Red  Branch  and  thy  own  chiefs,  do  well  observe  and  will 


200  Cuchulain 

fulfil  your  will.  Even  though  trouble  happen  through  her 
life,  the  child  shall  live."  So  said  they  all.  Then  Caffa 
said  :  "  Alas  !  Alas  !  O  King,  you  and  your  chiefs  will 
live  to  rue  this  day.  Great  woes  are  bound  up  with  the 
destiny  before  this  little  maid,  and  all  the  world  will  hear 
of  them  and  weep.  A  child  of  sorrow  is  this  child,  and 
4  Deirdre  of  Contentions  '  is  her  name."  "So  be  it," 
said  the  King,  "  I  like  the  name  ;  when  Deirdre  is  of  age 
to  foster  with  a  nurse,  bring  her  to  me." 


CHAPTER  XXIII 
The  Up-bringing  of  Deirdre 

AS  soon  as  she  was  weaned,  King  Conor  took  the 
child  away  from  her  own  parents,  as  was  the 
custom  in  those  olden  days,  and  put  her  out  to 
foster  with  a  nurse,  Levarcam,  a  wise  and  skilful  dame, 
who  told  the  King  from  day  to  day  how  Deirdre  fared. 
And  for  the  first  seven  years  Deirdre  grew  up  within  the 
royal  household,  petted  and  loved  by  all,  and  she  was 
richly  fed  and  robed  in  silk,  and  nourished  like  a  princess, 
for  all  in  the  palace  knew  that  this  young  lovely  child 
was  destined  to  be  mated  with  their  king.  Often  she 
spent  her  days  upon  the  playing  fields,  and  watched  the 
boy-corps  practising  their  sports,  and  joined  their  games 
and  laughed  with  glee  like  any  other  child.  Thus  happily 
and  gaily  passed  the  years  for  Deirdre,  till  one  day  when 
she  was  playing  ball  among  the  little  lads,  the  King  came 
down  to  watch  their  play.  He  saw  how  like  a  flower 
Deirdre  grew,  half  like  the  opening  daisy,  pink  and  white, 
half  like  the  slender  hairbell  on  its  stem,  graceful  and 
delicate ;  and  though  he  was  an  old  man,  and  had  been 
a  widower  for  now  many  years,  and  the  child  but  a  babe 
of  seven  years,  a  sudden  jealousy  smote  at  his  aged 
heart.  He  saw  the  girl  surrounded  by  the  lads,  who  tossed 
the  ball  into  her  little  lap  or  into  her  small  apron  held  out 
to  catch  it  as  it  fell.  And  every  time  she  caught  it,  her 
ringing  childish  laugh  broke  out,  and  all  the  boys  cried, 

201 


202  Cuchulain 

"  Well,  caught,  O  Deirdre ;  bravely  caught,  our  little 
Queen  !  "  For  to  them  all,  it  was  well-known  that  this 
small  child  was  kept  by  Conor  for  himself,  to  share  his 
throne  and  home  ;  so  oft  in  play  they  called  her  "  Little 
Queen." 

Then  Conor  called  his  Druid  Caffa  to  him,  and  he  said, 
"  Too  long  we  leave  this  child  at  liberty  among  the 
chieftain's  sons.  She  must  henceforth  be  kept  apart  and 
quite  forget  that  there  are  younger  men  than  you  or  me. 
If  she  grows  up  among  these  lads,  most  certainly  the 
day  will  come  when  she  will  wish  to  wed  some  chief  of  her 
own  age.  See,  even  now,  the  lads  bend  to  her  will ;  she 
rules  them  like  a  queen  indeed,  and  gladly  they  obey  her. 
When  she  is  grown  to  maidenhood,  small  chance  for  me, 
an  aged  man,  when  comes  the  time  to  woo." 

"  The  King  woos  not,"  said  Caffa,  "  he  commands, 
and  none  dare  disobey."  "  Still  I  would  rather  have  a 
willing  bride,"  the  King  replied ;  "I  want  no  girl  to  be 
my  royal  mate  who  craves  and  hankers  for  some  other 
man  among  my  subjects.  She  shall  come  to  me  of  her 
own  free  will,  because  she  knows  no  other  man  but  me. 
She  shall  not  even  know  what  kind  of  thing  a  man  may 
be,  for  I  will  shut  her  up  apart  from  men,  and,  save  your- 
self and  me,  she  shall  not  ever  see  a  manly  face."  "  The 
King  commands,"  said  Caffa,  slowly,  "  and  it  must  be 
done  as  he  desires.  But  yet  I  fear  the  maid  will  pine 
in  her  captivity.  The  bride  you  wed  will  be  a  lily  pale 
as  death,  and  not  a  maiden  in  her  blooming  loveliness." 

"  She  shall  have  space  and  air  and  garden-ground," 
the  King  replied,  "  only  she  shall  not  ever  see  a  human 
face,  save  yours  and  mine,  and  nurse  Levarcam's." 

So  for  the  girl  he  built  a  place  apart,  far  off  from  Emain 
in   a   lonely   dell,    surrounded   by   a   wood.     A   simple 


The  Up-bringing  of  Deirdre     203 

stately  house  was  reared,  surrounded  by  an  orchard  of 
rare  fruits.  Behind  the  house  a  garden  and  a  piece  of 
barren  moor,  and  through  the  wood  a  gently-flowing 
stream  that  wandered  amid  carpets  of  bright  flowers. 
And  all  seemed  fair  enough,  but  round  the  place  he  built 
a  mighty  wall,  so  high  that  none  could  climb  it,  and  a 
moat  ran  round  within.  Four  savage  man-hounds  sent 
by  Conor  were  on  constant  guard,  watching  on  every 
side  by  night  and  day,  so  that  no  living  thing  could  enter 
or  pass  out,  save  with  the  knowledge  of  Levarcam. 

And  for  a  time  the  child  was  happy,  for  Levarcam, 
the  wise  woman,  taught  her  all  she  knew.  She  taught 
her  how  each  bird  sings  to  its  mate,  each  different  note 
of  thrush  or  cuckoo  or  the  soaring  lark  ;  she  taught  her 
of  the  plants  that  spring  towards  heaven,  their  roots 
deep  hidden  in  the  yielding  soil,  and  of  their  names  and 
uses,  and  the  way  they  fructified  and  sent  out  shoots,  and 
of  the  fruits  they  bore.  And  in  the  solemn  night,  they 
went  abroad  and  watched  the  motion  of  the  stars,  and 
marked  the  wandering  planets  how  they  carved  out  their 
own  path  among  the  rest,  and  all  the  changes  of  the  moon 
the  maiden  knew,  and  how  to  calculate  the  time  of  day 
by  shadows  on  the  grass.  There  was  no  bird  upon  the 
spray,  nor  herb  among  the  plants,  nor  star  in  heaven, 
but  Deirdre  had  a  name  for  each  and  all. 

And  ever  and  anon,  King  Conor  came  and  sat  with  her 
and  talked,  and  brought  her  gifts  to  while  away  the  time ; 
and  because  the  days  were  long  and  passed  one  like  the 
other  without  any  change,  she  liked  his  coming,  and 
would  call  him  "  Father,"  and  make  tales  for  him,  and 
sing  her  songs  and  show  the  little  garden  she  had  made 
herself  alone. 

And  Deirdre  grew  up  tall  and  stately  as  the  sapling 


204  Cuchulain 

of  the  forest,  and  lithe  as  the  green  moorland  rush  that 
bows  before  the  wind.  Of  all  the  women  of  the  world 
was  Deirdre  the  gentlest  and  best,  lovely  of  form  and 
lovely  in  her  mind  ;  light  as  the  hind  that  leaps  upon 
the  hill,  and  white  and  shapely  as  the  snowy  swan.  But 
though  they  tended  her,  and  fed  her  with  the  best,  the 
maiden  drooped  and  pined.  And  on  a  day  Levarcam 
said,  "  What  ails  thee,  girl  ?  Why  is  thy  face  so  pale, 
thy  step  so  slow  ?  Why  dost  thou  sigh  and  mope  ?  " 
And  Deirdre  said,  "  I  know  not,  nurse,  what  ails  me;  but 
I  think  I  should  be  well  if  once  again  I  saw  the  boys  upon 
the  playing  fields,  and  heard  their  shouts,  and  tossed 
the  ball  with  them." 

"  Fie,  fie,"  replied  the  nurse,  "  'tis  seven  full  years 
since  on  the  green  you  played  at  ball.  A  child  of  but 
seven  years  were  you  at  that  time,  and  now  full  fourteen 
years  have  come  and  gone,  and  you  are  growing  into 
maidenhood."  "  Seven  bitter  years,"  said  Deirdre, 
"  since  I  beheld  the  joyous  playing  field,  and  saw  the 
sports,  and  marked  the  manly  face  of  Naisi,  noblest  and 
bravest  of  the  corps  of  boys." 

"  Naisi,  the  son  of  Usna  ?  "  asked  Levarcam,  much 
surprised.  "  Naisi  was  his  name,  he  told  me  so,"  said 
Deirdre  ;  "  but  I  did  not  ask  whose  son  he  was."  "  He 
told  you  so  ?  "  Levarcam  asked  again.  "  He  told  me 
so,"  said  Deirdre,  "  when  he  threw  the  ball,  by  a  mis- 
cast, backward,  across  the  heads  of  the  group  of  maidens 
who  were  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  green,  and  I  rose 
up  among  them  all,  picked  up  the  ball,  and  gave  it  back 
to  him.  He  pressed  my  hand  and  smiled,  and  promised 
he  would  see  me  oft  again  ;  but  never  since  that  day, 
that  fatal  day,  when  Conor  brought  me  to  this  lonely 
place,   have  he  or   I  beheld  each  other  more.     Bring 


The  Up-bringing  of  Deirdre    205 

Naisi  here,  0  nurse,  that  I  may  once  again  behold  his 
face,  so  bright  and  boyish,  with  its  winning  smile ;  then 
shall  I  live  and  laugh  and  love  my  life  again." 

"  Speak  not  like  this,  O  Maiden,"  exclaimed  the  nurse. 
"  To-day  the  King  comes  for  his  visit.  We  are  in  winter 
now,  but  in  the  budding  of  the  spring,  he  takes  you 
hence  to  Emain,  there  to  claim  you  as  his  wife." 

"  The  king  no  doubt  is  kind,"  the  girl  replied,  "  and 
means  me  well,  but  he  is  old  and  grey,  and  in  his  face  is 
something  that  I  do  not  like.  I  think  he  could  be  cruel, 
and  that  if  any  man  stood  in  his  way,  he  would  not 
hesitate  to  lay  a  trap  to  catch  him,  as  Caffa  snared  the 
little  mouse  that  ran  about  my  room  and  kept  me  com- 
pany. Yet  will  I  go  with  him  to  Emain,  for  I  think 
that  somewhere  among  the  people  of  the  court,  I  shall 
find  Naisi  out." 

"  Hush,  hush,"  the  nurse  replied,  "  Naisi  is  now  a  little 
boy  no  longer,  but  the  foremost  of  all  Ulster's  younger 
chiefs,  the  hero  of  the  Red  Branch,  and  the  favourite 
of  the  King.  Speak  not  of  Naisi  to  King  Conor,  or  may- 
hap some  harm  will  come  to  him."  "  Then  will  I  never 
speak  his  name,  or  tell  of  him,"  the  girl  replied,  "  though 
in  my  dreams  I  see  him  every  night  playing  at  ball  with 
me  ;  but  when  he  flings  the  ball  for  me  to  catch,  'tis 
ever  the  same  thing.  King  Conor  comes  between  and 
seizes  it,  and  throws  it  back  at  Naisi.  So  can  I  never 
catch  and  hold  it  in  my  hands,  and  I  am  vexed  and  weep. 
But  last  night,  O  good  nurse,  King  Conor  flung  the  ball 
craftily  at  his  head,  and  Naisi  fell  all  red  and  stained 
with  blood,  like  that  poor  calf  that  Caffa  slew,  thinking 
that  I  could  eat  it  for  my  food.  The  little  tender  calf 
that  played  with  me  !  Upon  the  winter's  frosty  floor 
I  saw  its  blood,  all  crimson-red  upon  the  driven  snow, 


206  Cuchulain 

and  as  I  looked  I  saw  a  raven  that  stooped  down  to  sip 
the  blood  ;  and,  O  dear  nurse,  I  thought  of  Naisi  then, 
for  all  his  hair,  as  I  remember  it,  was  dark  and  glossy 
like  the  raven's  wing,  and  in  his  cheeks  the  ruddy  glow 
of  health  and  beauty,  like  the  blood,  and  white  his  skin 
like  snow.  Dear  nurse,  dear  nurse,  let  me  see  Naisi 
once  again,  and  send  the  King  away."  "  Alas  !  alas  !  " 
Levarcam  said  ;  "  most  difficult  indeed  is  thy  desire, 
for  far  away  is  Naisi,  and  he  dare  not  come  within  this 
fort.  High  is  the  wall  and  deep  the  moat,  and  fierce 
the  blood-hounds  watching  at  the  gates."  "  At  least," 
said  Deirdre,  "  procure  for  me  from  Caff  a  that  I  may 
once  in  a  while  wander  without  the  fort  and  breathe  the 
open  air  upon  the  moor ;  this  wall  frowns  on  me  like 
an  enemy  holding  me  in  his  grasp  and  stifling  me,  surely 
I  die  e'er  long  within  these  heavy  walls.  But  on  the 
moor,  where  no  man  comes  (if  you  must  have  it  so), 
I'd  see  at  least  the  grouse  winging  its  flight,  and  hear 
the  plover  and  the  peeweet  call,  and  pluck  the  heather 
and  the  yellow  gorse  in  summer  time.  O  nurse,  dear 
nurse,  have  pity  on  your  child."  When  Levarcam  saw 
the  misery  of  the  maid,  she  feared  that  Conor  would 
upbraid  her  with  neglect  because  her  cheek  grew  pale, 
and  her  young  joy  seemed  gone ;  and  so  that  night  she 
spoke  to  Caff  a,  and  he  said,  "  I  think  no  harm  could 
come  if  we  should  let  the  maiden  walk  out  upon  the  wild 
hillside.  No  human  creature,  save  a  stray  hunter 
following  the  deer,  or  a  poor  shepherd  garnering  his 
sheep,  or  some  strange  homeless  wanderer,  e'er  sets  his 
foot  upon  this  lonesome  moor.  Far  off  are  we  from  any 
human  habitation  ;  and  the  maid  droops,  indeed.  Let 
her  go  out,  but  keep  her  well  in  sight ;  to  climb  the  hill- 
top and  to  roam  the  heather  moor  as  spring  comes  on, 


The  Up-bringing  of  Deirdre     207 

will  bring  fresh  colour  into  her  pale  cheeks,  and  fit  her 
for  the  wooing  of  the  king." 

So  from  that  time,  Deirdre  went  out  upon  the  upland 
moor,  and  soon  she  knew  each  nook  and  stream  and  bit 
of  forest-land  for  miles  around.  She  learned  the  zig-zag 
flight  of  the  long-billed  snipe,  she  knew  the  otter's 
marshy  lair,  and  where  the  grouse  and  wild-duck  made 
their  nests.  She  fed  the  timid  fawn,  wild,  trustful  as 
herself,  and  made  a  dear  companion  of  a  fox  that  followed 
her  as  though  it  were  a  dog  ;  and  once,  while  Levarcam 
stayed  below,  she  climbed  the  dizzy  height  where  golden 
eagles  had  built  their  nest  upon  the  mountain's  crest, 
and  smoothed  the  eaglets  with  her  own  soft  hand.  And 
so  she  grew  in  health,  and  all  her  spirit  came  to  her  again, 
and  when  King  Conor  came  to  visit  her,  he  thought  that 
in  his  dreams  and  in  the  long  life  he  had  passed  among 
the  best  of  Erin's  women,  he  had  never  seen  or  dreamed 
of  a  girl  so  lovely  as  this  blood-drop  of  the  moor. 
Eagerly  he  began  to  reckon  up  the  days  until,  her 
fifteenth  birthday  being  passed,  he  should  bring  her 
down  to  Emain,  and  take  her  as  his  wife.  But  of  her 
walks  he  knew  not,  only  Caffa  and  Levarcam  knew. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
The  Sleep-Wanderer 

ON  a  wild  wintry  night  while  things  were  so. 
there  came  into  the  neighbourhood  a  hunter 
of  wandering  game,  who  had  lost  his  course 
and  his  companions.  The  man  was  tired  with  travelling 
among  the  hills  all  day,  and  in  the  dark  cloudy  night, 
with  the  mist  rising  round  him  from  the  hills,  he  laid  him 
down  outside  the  garden  within  which  Deirdre  dwelt, 
and  fell  asleep.  Weak  he  was  with  hunger  and  fatigue, 
and  numb  with  cold,  and  deep  sleep  fell  upon  the  man. 
Sleep-wandering  came  upon  him  then,  and  he  thought 
that  he  was  close  beside  a  warm  hollowed-out  fairy 
mound,  and  in  his  dreams  he  heard  fairy  music,  soft  and 
sweet.  In  his  sleep  he  called  aloud  that  if  there  were 
any  one  at  all  in  the  fairy  mound,  they  would  open  the 
mound  and  let  him  in,  for  the  sake  of  the  Good  Being. 

Now  Deirdre  had  not  slept  that  night,  and  she  had 
arisen  and  with  her  nurse  had  moved  about  the  grounds 
to  seek  for  warmth  of  exercise.  Just  as  they  turned 
to  go  back  within  the  house  out  of  the  chill  and  heavy 
mist,  Deirdre  heard  the  faint  feeble  voice  of  the  weary 
man  outside  the  gate.  "  Nurse-mother,  what  is  that  ?  " 
she  asked  and  stopped.  Levarcam  knew  it  was  a  human 
voice,  but  she  replied,  "  Only  a  thing  of  little  worth,  the 
birds  of  the  air  have  gone  astray,  and  are  seeking  one 

208 


The  Sleep- Wanderer  209 

another  ;  let  them  hie  away  to  the  forest  of  branches  "  ; 
and  she  tried  to  draw  Deirdre  towards  the  house.  Again 
sleep-wandering  came  on  the  man,  and  he  called  out  again 
and  louder  than  before,  that  if  there  were  any  in  the 
fairy  mound,  for  the  sake  of  the  Being  of  the  Elements 
they  would  arise  and  let  him  in. 

"  What  is  that,  nurse-mother  ?  "  said  the  girl  again. 
"  Only  a  thing  of  little  sense,  the  birds  of  the  woods  are 
gone  astray  from  each  other,  and  are  seeking  to  come 
together  again.  Let  them  hie  them  away  to  the  forest 
of  branches." 

The  third  time  came  sleep-wandering  upon  the  hunter, 
and  he  called  aloud  that  if  there  were  any  within  the 
mound,  they  would  let  him  in  for  the  sake  of  the  God  of 
the  Elements,  for  he  was  benumbed  with  cold  and 
parched  with  hunger. 

"  Oh  !  what  is  that,  nurse-mother  ?  "  said  Deirdre. 
"  Nought  there  is  in  that  to  bring  gladness  to  thee, 
maiden ;  it  is  but  the  birds  of  the  air  who  have  lost  one 
another  in  the  woods  ;  let  them  hie  away  into  the  forest 
of  branches.  Neither  shelter  or  home  will  they  get  from 
us  this  night."  "  Oh  !  nurse-mother,  it  was  in  the  name 
of  the  God  of  the  Elements  that  the  bird  asked  shelter 
of  us  ;  and  oft  hast  thou  told  me  that  anything  asked 
of  us  in  His  name  should  willingly  be  done.  If  thou 
wilt  not  allow  me  to  bring  in  the  bird  that  is  benumbed 
with  cold  and  sore  with  hunger,  I  myself  will  doubt  thy 
teaching  and  thy  faith.  But  as  I  believe  in  thy  teaching 
and  thy  faith,  as  thou  thyself  didst  explain  it  to  me,  I 
myself  will  let  in  the  bird."  So  Deirdre  turned  back 
to  the  gate  and  drew  the  bar  from  the  door,  and  let  in 
the  hunter.  She  brought  him  into  the  house,  and  placed 
a  seat  in  the  place  of  sitting,  food  in  the  place  of  eating, 
0 


210  Cuchulain 

and  drink  in  the  place  of  drinking,  for  the  man  who  had 
come  home. 

"  Go  on  and  eat  thy  food,  for  indeed  thou  art  in  need 
of  it,"  said  Deirdre. 

"  Well,  I  was  in  truth  needful  of  food  and  of  drink 
and  of  warmth  when  I  came  to  the  door  of  this  home," 
said  the  hunter,  "  but  these  are  all  gone  from  me  now 
that  I  behold  thee,  maiden."  Then  Levarcam  was 
angry  with  the  man,  and  spoke  sharply  to  him  :  "  It  is 
too  ready  on  thy  tongue  the  talk  is,  O  man,  with 
thy  food  and  with  thy  drink.  It  would  be  better  for 
thee  to  keep  thy  mouth  shut  and  thy  tongue  dumb 
in  return  for  the  shelter  we  are  giving  thee  on  a  cold 
winter's  night." 

"  Well,"  said  the  hunter,  "  I  may  keep  my  mouth  shut 
and  my  tongue  dumb  if  it  suits  thee,  but  by  thy  father's 
two  hands  and  thine  own,  there  are  some  others  of  the 
world's  men  who,  if  they  but  saw  this  blood-drop  thou 
art  hiding  here,  it  is  not  long  that  they  would  leave  her 
here  with  thee." 

"  What  people  are  those  and  where  are  they  ?  "  said 
Deirdre,  eagerly.  "  I  will  tell  thee  that,  maiden,"  said 
the  hunter.  "  There  are  three  heroes  of  the  Red  Branch, 
Naisi,  Ainle,  and  Arden,  sons  of  Usna,  brothers,  who, 
if  they  saw  thee,  would  bear  thee  hence  to  some  other 
place  than  this." 

"  What  like  are  these  three  brothers  of  whom  you 
speak  ?  "  cried  Deirdre,  and  all  her  face  blushed  to  a 
rosy  red.  "  Like  the  colour  of  a  raven  their  dusky 
hair,  tossed  back  from  each  high,  shining  brow ;  their 
skin  white  as  the  plumage  of  a  swan,  their  cheeks  like 
to  a  red-deer's  coat,  or  like  your  own  cheeks,  maiden. 
They  swim  and  leap  and  run  as  strong  and  stately  as  the 


The  Sleep-Wanderer  211 

salmon  of  the  stream,  or  as  the  stag  upon  the  dappled 
hill,  'twixt  sun  and  shade ;  but  Naisi,  when  he  stands 
upright,  towers  a  head  and  shoulders  above  all  the 
men  around  him.  Such  are  the  sons  of  Usna,  noble 
maid." 

But  Levarcam  interfered  :  "  However  be  those  men 
of  whom  you  speak,  off  with  you  now  and  take  another 
road  that  comes  not  past  this  way.  Small  is  my 
gratitude  for  all  thy  talk,  and  well  for  her  who  let  thee 
in  hadst  thou  died  of  thy  cold  and  hunger  at  the  door, 
and  never  come  within  for  food  and  drink." 

The  hunter  went  his  way  ;  but  he  bethought  himself 
that  if  he  told  the  sons  of  Usna  of  the  lovely  blood-drop 
he  had  seen,  they  might  free  the  maiden  out  of  Levar- 
cam's  hands,  and  do  a  good  deed  to  him  also  for  telling 
them  that  there  was  such  a  damsel  as  Deirdre  on  the 
surface  of  the  living  dewy  world.  So  he  told  his  tale  to 
Naisi  and  said  to  him  that  there  dwelt,  far  away  on  the 
distant  moor,  shut  in  between  high  walls,  the  loveliest 
maiden  that  ever  was  born  in  Erin,  and  that  none  lived 
beside  her  but  an  aged  nurse  and  an  old  Druid,  so  that 
Deirdre  was  like  a  tender  flower  over- shadowed  by  two 
ancient  branchy  trees,  that  hid  her  from  the  air  and  sun. 

When  Naisi  heard  that,  he  said,  "  Who  is  the  maid 
and  where  is  she,  whom  no  man  hath  seen  but  thee,  if, 
indeed,  seen  her  thou  hast  ?  "  "  Truly  I  have  seen  her," 
said  the  hunter,  "  but  no  one  else  could  find  her  save  I 
myself  should  guide  him." 

Then  Naisi  said  that  he  would  go  ;  but  Arden  and 
Ainle  tried  to  dissuade  him,  for  they  said,  "  What  if 
the  girl  should  be  the  maid  the  King  hath  destined  to 
himself  ?  "  But  from  far-off  to  the  mind  of  Naisi  there 
came  a  memory  of  a  young  child,  scarce  seven  years  old, 


2 1 2  Cuchulain 

whom  on  the  playing-fields  he  once  had  seen  and  pro- 
mised to  see  again,  but  who  had  disappeared  that  very 
day,  and  never  from  that  day  to  this  had  he  set  eyes  upon 
the  girl.  So  all  his  brothers  could  devise  served  not  to 
turn  him  from  his  purpose  ;  and  at  dawn  of  the  next 
day,  amid  the  early  carolling  of  birds,  in  the  mild  morn- 
ing dawn  of  fragrant  May,  when  all  the  bush  was  white 
with  hawthorn-bloom,  and  dew-drops  glistened  from 
every  point  of  sapling,  bush,  and  plant,  they  four  set  out, 
going  in  search  of  the  retired  place  where  Deirdre 
dwelt. 

"  Yonder  it  is,  down  on  the  floor  of  the  glen,"  the 
hunter  said,  when  at  the  fall  of  eve  they  stood  upon  the 
mountain-brow  above  the  house,  so  well  concealed  in 
trees  that  many  times  they  might  have  passed  it  by  and 
never  known  that  any  house  was  near.  "  I  care  not  for 
myself  to  see  again  the  woman  who  lives  therein  ;  sharp 
is  her  tongue,  unwelcoming  her  words.  I  leave  you  then, 
good  luck  go  with  you,  but  if  you  will  be  advised,  go  not 
near  the  house.  At  every  gate  are  blood-hounds,  and 
Levarcam's  bite  is  nigh  as  fierce  as  theirs." 

From  day  to  day  the  sons  of  Usna  stayed  among  the 
hills  that  circled  Deirdre's  home.  But  for  awhile 
Levarcam  feared  to  let  her  charge  go  out,  for  soon 
would  Conor  come  to  claim  her,  and  Levarcam  thought, 
"  If  aught  should  happen  or  the  girl  should  slip  between 
my  hands,  small  pity  would  King  Conor  have  for  me." 
But  as  time  passed,  and  Deirdre  pined  again  for  open 
air  and  sunshine,  and  the  walks  she  loved,  and  fretted 
for  the  fox  that  looked  for  her,  and  for  her  woodland 
company  of  beasts  and  birds,  Levarcam  once  again 
took  the  girl  abroad,  and  oft  they  sat  upon  the  open 
hill  and  watched  the  sun  go  down,   or  brought  their 


The  Sleep- Wanderer  2  1 3 

work  and  passed  the  long  spring  mornings  on  the  heather, 
happy  because  the  sunshine  was  so  warm,  the  air  so 
sweet,  and  all  the  world  so  fresh  with  herbs  and  flowers. 
One  day  they  long  had  sat  thus  drinking  in  the  sun, 
and  while  Levarcam  dozed  and  nodded  with  the  heat  and 
the  fatigue  of  climbing  up  the  hill,  Deirdre  from  time  to 
time  would  leave  her  side  to  seek  some  plant  or  follow 
a  butterfly  that  passed  across  her  path.  Reaching  the 
summit  of  the  hill  she  saw  three  men  whose  like  she 
never  in  her  life  before  had  set  her  eyes  upon.  They 
were  not  bent,  like  Caffa,  or  wrinkled,  like  King  Conor 
when  he  came  ;  nor  were  they  dark  and  roughly  clad, 
with  shaggy  beards,  like  the  one  hunter  who  had  made 
his  way  to  her  abode.  These  men  were  young  and  lithe, 
straight  as  the  pine  and  shapely  as  the  stag.  But  one 
above  the  rest  towered  head  and  shoulders  high,  his  raven 
locks  thrown  back,  his  blue  eye  scanning  all  the  mountain 
for  trace  of  fawn  or  deer.  Beside  them,  in  the  leash, 
three  noble  hounds  ;  and  as  they  paced  along  the  up- 
land track,  Deirdre  sat  mute  in  wonder,  for  in  all  her 
life  never  had  she  seen  such  goodly  men  as  these.  But 
suddenly,  as  they  drew  near,  a  flash  of  inspiration  came 
upon  her  mind  ;  she  knew  that  these  were  Usna's  sons, 
that  he  who  overtopped  the  rest  was  Naisi,  the  boy 
who  long  ago  had  thrown  the  ball  with  her.  The  brothers 
passed  her  by,  not  seeing  her  seated  above  them  on  the 
hill.  But  all  at  once,  without  a  moment's  thought, 
Deirdre  sprang  up,  and  gathering  up  her  dress,  she  sped 
as  swiftly  as  a  roe  along  the  mountain  side,  calling  out, 
"  Naisi,  Naisi,  wilt  thou  leave  me  here  ?  "  Now  Naisi 
had  rounded  the  bend  of  the  hill,  and  he  could  not  see 
the  maiden,  but  Ainle  and  Arden  saw  her  bounding 
after  them,  and  no  thought  had  they  but  to  get  Naisi 


2  1 4  Cuchulain 

away,  for  they  knew  well  that  this  was  Deirdre, 
and  that  if  Naisi  once  set  eyes  on  her,  nothing  in  life 
would  prevent  him  from  carrying  her  off,  the  more 
especially,  since  Conor  was  not  yet  married  to  the  girl. 
So  when  Naisi  asked,  "  What  is  that  cry  that  came  to 
mine  ear  that  it  is  not  easy  for  me  to  answer  and  yet  not 
easy  for  me  to  refuse  ?  "  the  brothers  replied,  "  What  but 
the  quacking  of  the  wild  ducks  upon  the  mere  ?  Let  us 
hasten  our  steps  and  hurry  our  feet,  for  long  is  the  dis- 
tance we  have  to  traverse,  and  the  dark  hour  of  night  is 
coming  on."  They  went  forward  quickly,  but  when 
Deirdre  saw  that  they  were  lengthening  the  space  between 
themselves  and  her,  she  called  again  piteously,  "  Naisi, 
thou  son  of  Usna,  is  it  leaving  me  alone  thou  art  ?  " 
"  What  cry  is  that  which  strikes  into  my  very  heart  ?  " 
said  Naisi.  "  Not  easy  is  it  for  me  to  answer,  but  harder 
yet  is  it  to  refuse."  "It  is  but  the  cry  of  the  grey  geese 
in  the  air,  winging  their  flight  to  the  nearest  tarn," 
said  the  brothers  again ;  "let  us  hasten  now  and  walk 
well,  for  long  is  our  path  to-night  and  the  darkness  of 
night  is  coming  on."  They  set  out  to  walk  faster  than 
before,  and  farther  yet  was  the  distance  between  them- 
selves and  Deirdre.  Then  Deirdre  flew  with  the  swift- 
ness of  the  winds  of  March  across  the  bend  of  the  moun- 
tain, and  reached  a  place  above  them  on  the  cliff,  and 
called  again  the  third  time,  "  Naisi,  Naisi,  Naisi,  thou 
son  of  Usna,  wilt  thou  leave  me  here  alone  ?  "  "  The 
cry  I  hear  strikes  sweetly  on  mine  ear,  but  of  all  cries 
I  ever  heard,  this  cry  makes  deepest  wound  within  mine 
heart,"  said  Naisi,  and  he  stopped  short. 

"  Heed  not  the  cry,"  his  brothers  said,  "  it  is  the  wail 
of  the  lake-swans,  disturbed  in  their  nesting-place ;  let 
us  push  on  now,  and  win  our  way  to-night  to  Emain 


The  Sleep-Wanderer  215 

Macha."  "  Three  times  came  that  cry  of  distress  to 
me,"  said  Naisi,  "  and  the  vow  of  a  champion  is  upon  me, 
that  no  cry  of  distress  shall  be  passed  by  unheeded.  I 
will  go  back  now  and  see  whence  comes  that  cry." 

Then  Naisi  turned  to  go  back,  and  on  the  hill  above 
him  he  saw  Deirdre,  standing  on  a  rock  with  her  arms 
outstretched,  and  all  her  hair  blown  backward  by  the 
wind,  and  her  fair  face  flushed  all  with  red,  part  with 
her  running,  part  with  a  lovely  shame,  and  changing  as 
the  aspen  shimmering  in  the  summer's  breeze.  And 
Naisi  knew  that  never  in  his  life  had  he  seen  anything 
one-half  so  fair,  or  any  blood-drop  like  the  living  blood- 
drop  here,  and  he  gave  love  to  Deirdre  such  as  he  never 
gave  to  any  other,  or  to  a  dream  or  vision,  or  to  a  person 
on  the  whole  world's  face,  but  only  to  Deirdre  alone. 

And  Deirdre  came  close,  and  to  him  she  gave  three 
loving  kisses,  and  to  his  brothers  each  a  kiss  ;  and  Naisi 
lifted  her  and  placed  her  on  his  shoulder,  and  he  said, 
"  Hitherto  it  is  you,  my  brothers,  who  have  bidden  me 
to  walk  well,  but  now  it  is  I  who  bid  the  same  to  you." 

That  night  they  carried  Deirdre  to  their  own  home, 
and  sheltered  her  there  for  many  days.  But  the  news 
reached  Conor  that  Deirdre  was  flown,  and  that  it  was 
the  sons  of  Usna  with  whom  she  went,  and  in  his  fury 
he  sent  out  armies,  and  hunted  them  from  place  to  place, 
so  that  they  traversed  all  Ireland,  fleeing  before  the 
King.  And  when  they  found  there  was  no  rest  for  them 
in  Ireland,  Naisi  determined  to  forsake  his  native  land 
and  to  flee  to  Alba,  for  there  he  had  made  wars  and  had 
carved  out  for  himself  a  kingdom  as  great  as  the  kingdom 
of  Conor  in  Ulster.  So  he  and  Deirdre,  with  his  brothers 
and  a  great  band  of  followers  fled  to  Alba,  which  is  to-day 
called  Scotland,   and  they  made  their  home  on  Glen 


2  1 6  Cuchulain 

Etive  in  Alba,  and  thence  Naisi  ruled  over  the  terri- 
tories he  had  taken  from  the  King  of  Alba,  and  he  made 
wars,  and  became  a  powerful  prince.  And  joyous  and 
gladsome  were  he  and  Deirdre  in  each  other's  company, 
and  great  was  the  love  and  affection  they  gave  one  to 
the  other. 


CHAPTER    XXV 
The  Wiles  of  King  Conor 

BUT  all  this  while  the  cunning,  cruel  heart  of  Conor 
was  planning  his  revenge.  For  though  he  was 
an  old  man  with  grown-up  sons  of  middle  age,  he 
had  begun  to  feel  affection  for  the  child  who  had  been 
sheltered  by  his  care,  and  who  looked  to  him  as  her 
protector  and  her  friend.  And  after  all  the  years  that 
he  had  waited  for  the  girl,  to  have  her  plucked  away 
beneath  his  eyes  just  when  she  was  of  age  to  be  his  wife, 
aroused  his  bitter  wrath  and  jealousy.  Deep  in  his  heart 
he  plotted  dark  revenge,  but  it  was  hard  to  carry  out 
his  plan,  for  well  he  knew  that  of  his  chiefs  not  one  would 
lift  his  hand  against  the  sons  of  Usna.  Of  all  the  Red 
Branch  Champions  those  three  were  loved  the  best ; 
and  difficult  it  was  to  know  which  of  the  three  was 
bravest,  or  most  noble  to  behold.  When  in  the  autumn 
games  they  raced  or  leaped  or  drove  the  chariots  round 
the  racing-course,  some  said  that  Arden  had  the  more 
majestic  step  and  stately  air  ;  others,  that  Ainle  was 
more  graceful  and  more  lithe  in  swing,  but  most  agreed 
that  Naisi  was  the  princeliest  of  the  three,  so  dignified 
his  gait,  so  swift  his  step  in  running,  and  so  strong  and 
firm  his  hand.  But  when  they  wrestled,  ran  or  fought 
in  combats  side  by  side,  men  praised  them  all,  and  called 
them  the  "  Three  Lights  of  Valour  of  the  Gael." 
When  his  plans  were  ripe,  King  Conor  made  a  festival 

217 


2  1 8  Cuchulain 

in  Emain  Macha,  and  all  his  chiefs  were  gathered  to  the 
feast.  The  aged  Fergus  sat  at  his  right  hand,  and  Caffa 
next  to  him  ;  close  by  sat  Conall  Cernach,  a  mighty 
warrior,  still  in  his  full  prime,  and  by  his  side,  as  in  old 
times,  Cuchulain  sat.  He  seemed  still  young,  but  of  an 
awesome  aspect,  as  one  who  had  a  tragedy  before  him, 
and  great  deeds  behind  ;  and,  for  all  that  he  was  the 
pride  of  Ulster's  hosts,  men  stood  in  dread  before  him, 
as  though  he  were  a  god. 

Around  the  board  sat  many  a  mighty  man  and  good 
prime  warrior  seasoned  by  long  wars.  But  in  the  hall 
three  seats  were  empty,  and  it  was  known  to  be  the 
king's  command  that  in  his  presence  none  should  dare  to 
speak  the  names  of  Usna's  banished  sons. 

This  night  the  King  was  merry  and  in  pleasant  humour, 
as  it  seemed.  He  plied  his  guests  with  mead  and  ale 
out  of  his  golden  horns,  and  led  the  tale  and  passed  the 
jest,  and  laughed,  and  all  his  chiefs  laughed  with  him, 
till  the  hall  was  filled  with  cheerful  sounds  of  song  and 
merriment.  And  when  the  cheer  was  bravest  and  the 
feast  was  at  its  height,  he  rose  and  said  :  "  Right 
welcome  all  assembled  here  this  night,  High  Chiefs  of 
Ulster,  Champions  of  the  Branch.  Of  all  the  kingly 
households  in  the  world,  tell  me,  O  you  who  travel 
much  and  see  strange  distant  lands  and  courts  of  kings, 
have  ye  in  Alba  or  in  Erin's  realms,  or  in  the  countries 
of  the  great  wide  world,  e'er  seen  a  court  more  princely 
than  our  own,  or  an  assembly  comely  as  the  Red  Branch 
Knights  ?  " 

"  We  know  not,"  cried  they  all,  "  of  any  such.  Thy 
court,  O  High  King,  is  of  all  courts  on  earth  the  bravest 
and  the  best." 

"  If  this  be  so,"  said  wily  Conor,  "  I  suppose  no  sense 


The  Wiles  of  King  Conor      219 

of  want  lies  on  you  ;  no  lack  of  anything  is  in  your 
minds  ?  " 

"  We  know  not  any  want  at  all,"  they  said  aloud ; 
but  in  their  minds  they  thought,  "  save  the  Three  Lights 
of  Valour  of  the  Gael." 

"  But  I,  O  warriors,  know  one  want  that  lies  on  us," 
the  King  replied,  "  the  want  of  the  three  sons  of  Usna 
fills  my  mind.  Naisi  and  Ainle  and  Arden,  good 
warriors  were  they  all ;  but  Naisi  is  a  match  for  any 
mighty  monarch  in  the  world.  By  his  own  strength 
alone  he  carved  for  him  and  his  a  princely  realm  in 
Alba,  and  there  he  rules  as  king.  Alas  !  that  for  the 
sake  of  any  woman  in  the  world,  we  lose  his  presence 
here." 

"  Had  we  but  dared  to  utter  that,  O  Warrior  King, 
long  since  we  should  have  called  them  home  again. 
These  three  alone  would  safely  guard  the  province 
against  any  host.  Three  sons  of  a  border-king  and  used 
to  fight  are  they ;  three  heroes  of  warfare,  three  lions 
of  fearless  might." 

"  I  knew  not,"  said  King  Conor  craftily,  "  you  wished 
them  back.  Methought  you  all  were  jealous  of  their 
might,  or  long  ere  this  we  should  have  sent  for  them. 
Let  messengers  now  go,  and  heralds  of  the  king  to  bring 
them  home,  for  welcome  to  us  all  will  be  the  sight  of 
Usna's  sons." 

"  Who  is  the  herald  who  shall  bear  that  peaceful 
message  ?  "  cried  they  all.  "  I  have  been  told,"  said 
Conor,  "  that  out  of  Ulster's  chiefs  there  were  but  three 
whose  word  of  honour  and  protection  they  would  trust, 
and  at  whose  invitation  Naisi  would  come  again  in 
peace.  With  Conall  Cernach  he  will  come,  or  with 
Cuchulain,  or  with  great  Fergus  of  the  mighty  arms. 


220  Cuchulain 

These  are  the  friends  in  whom  he  will  confide  ;  under 
the  safe-guard  of  each  one  of  these  he  knows  all  will  be 
well." 

"  Bid  Fergus  go,  or  Conall  or  Cuchulain,"  the  warriors 
cried ;  "let  not  a  single  night  pass  by  until  the  message 
goes  to  bring  the  sons  of  Usna  to  our  board  again. 
Most  sorely  do  we  need  them,  deeply  do  we  mourn 
their  loss.  Bring  back  the  Lights  of  Valour  of  the 
Gael." 

"  Now  will  I  test,"  thought  Conor  to  himself,  "  which 
of  these  three  prime  warriors  loves  me  best."  So  supper 
being  ended,  the  King  took  Conall  to  his  ante-room  apart 
and    set    himself    to    question    cunningly :    "  Suppose, 

0  royal  soldier  of  the  world,  thou  wert  to  go  and  fetch 
the  sons  of  Usna  back  from  Alba  to  their  own  land  under 
thy  safeguard  and  thy  word  of  honour  that  they  should 
not  be  harmed  ;  but  if,  in  spite  of  this,  some  ill  should 
fall  on  them — not  by  my  hand,  of  course — and  they  were 
slain,  what  then  would  happen  ?  what  wouldst  thou 
do  ?  " 

"  I  swear,  O  King,"  said  Conall,  "  by  my  hand,  that 
if  the  sons  of  Usna  were  brought  here  under  my  pro- 
tection to  their  death,  not  he  alone  whose  hand  was 
stained  by  that  foul  deed,  but  every  man  of  Ulster  who 
had  wrought  them  harm  should  feel  my  righteous 
vengeance  and  my  wrath." 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  said  Conor,  "  not  great  the  love 
and  service  thou  dost  give  thy  lord.     Dearer  to  thee  than 

1  are  Usna's  sons." 

Then  sent  he  for  Cuchulain  and  to  him  he  made  the 
same  demand.  But  bolder  yet  Cuchulain  made  reply  : 
"  I  pledge  my  word,  O  King,  if  evil  were  to  fall  upon 
the  sons  of  Usna,  brought  back  to  Erin  and  their  homes 


The  Wiles  of  King  Conor      221 

in  confidence  in  my  protection  and  my  plighted  word, 
not  all  the  riches  of  the  eastern  world  would  bribe  or 
hinder  me  from  severing  thine  own  head  from  thee  in 
lieu  of  the  dear  heads  of  Usna's  sons,  most  foully  slain 
when  tempted  home  by  their  sure  trust  in  me." 

"  I  see  it  now,  Cuchulain,"  said  the  king,  "  thou  dost 
profess  a  love  for  me  thou  feelest  not." 

Then  Fergus  came,  and  to  him  also  he  proposed  the 
same  request.  Now  Fergus  was  perplexed  what  answer 
he  should  give.  Sore  did  it  trouble  him  to  think  that 
evil  might  befall  brave  Usna's  sons  when  under  his  pro- 
tection. Yet  it  was  but  a  little  while  since  he  and  Conor 
had  made  friends,  and  he  come  back  to  Ulster,  and  set 
high  in  place  and  power  by  the  King,  and  well  he  knew 
that  Conor  doubted  him ;  and  such  a  deed  as  this,  to 
bring  the  sons  of  Usna  home  again, would  prove  fidelity 
and  win  the  King's  affection.  Moreover,  Conor  spoke 
so  guardedly  that  Fergus  was  not  sure  whether  the  King 
had  ill  intent  or  no  towards  the  sons  of  Usna.  For  all 
he  said  was  :  "  Supposing  any  harm  or  ill  befall  the  sons 
of  Usna  by  the  hand  of  any  here,  what  wouldst  thou  do  ?  " 

So  after  long  debate  within  himself,  Fergus  replied : 
"  If  any  Ulsterman  should  harm  the  noble  youths, 
undoubtedly  I  should  avenge  the  deed  ;  but  thee,  O 
King,  and  thine  own  flesh  and  blood,  I  would  not  harm  ; 
for  well  I  know,  that  if  they  came  under  protection  of 
thy  sovereign  word,  they  would  be  safe  with  thee. 
Therefore,  against  thee  and  thy  house,  I  would  not  raise 
my  hand,  whatever  the  conditions,  but  faithfully  and 
with  my  life  will  serve  thee." 

"  'Tis  well,"  the  wily  king  replied,  "  I  see,  O  royal 
warrior,  that  thou  lovest  me  well,  and  I  will  prove  thy 
faithfulness  and  truth.     The  sons  of  Usna  without  doubt 


222  Cuchulain 

will  come  with  thee.  To-morrow  set  thou  forward  ; 
bear  the  King's  message  to  brave  Usna's  sons,  say  that 
he  eagerly  awaits  their  coming,  that  Ulster  longs  to 
welcome  them.  Urge  them  to  hasten  ;  bid  them  not  to 
linger  on  the  way,  but  with  the  utmost  speed  to  press 
straight  forward  here  to  Emain  Macha." 

Then  Fergus  went  out  from  the  King  and  told  the 
nobles  he  had  pledged  his  word  to  Conor  to  bring  back 
the  sons  of  Usna  to  their  native  land.  And  on  the 
morrow's  morn  Fergus  set  forth  in  his  own  boat,  and 
with  him  his  two  sons,  Ulan  the  Fair  and  Buinne  the 
Ruthless  Red,  and  together  they  sailed  to  Loch  Etive  in 
Alba. 

But  hardly  had  they  started  than  King  Conor  set  to 
work  with  cunning  craft  to  lure  the  sons  of  Usna  to  their 
doom.  He  sent  for  Borrach,  son  of  Annte,  who  had  built 
a  mighty  fortress  by  the  sea,  and  said  to  him,  "  Did  I  not 
hear,  O  Borrach,  that  thou  hadst  prepared  a  feast  for 
me  ?  "  "  It  is  even  so,  O  King,  and  I  await  thy  coming 
to  partake  of  the  banquet  I  have  prepared."  And 
Conor  said,  "  I  may  not  come  at  this  time  to  thy  feast ; 
the  duties  of  the  kingdom  keep  me  here  at  Emain.  But 
I  would  not  decline  thy  hospitality.  Fergus,  the  son  of 
Roy,  stands  close  to  me  in  place  and  power  ;  a  feast 
bestowed  on  him  I  hold  as  though  it  were  bestowed  on 
me.  In  less  than  a  week's  time  comes  Fergus  back 
from  Alba,  bringing  the  sons  of  Usna  to  their  home. 
Bid  Fergus  to  thy  feast,  and  I  will  hold  the  honour  paid 
to  him  as  paid  to  me." 

For  wily  Conor  knew  that  if  his  royal  command  was 
laid  on  Fergus  to  accept  the  banquet  in  his  stead,  Fergus 
dare  not  refuse  ;  and  by  this  means  he  sought  to  separate 
the  sons  of  Usna  from  their  friend,  and  get  them  fast 


The  Wiles  of  King  Conor       223 

into  his  own  power  at  Emain,  while  Fergus  waited  yet 
at  Borrach's  house,  partaking  of  his  hospitality.  "  Thus, 
thought  the  King,  "  I  have  the  sons  of  Usna  in  my 
grasp,  and  dire  the  vengeance  I  will  wreak  on  them,  the 
men  who  stole  my  wife." 


CHAPTER   XXVI 
The  Sorrowful  Death  of  Usna's  Sons 

AT  the  head  of  fair  Loch  Etive  the  sons  of  Usna 
had  built  for  themselves  three  spacious  hunting- 
seats  among  the  pine-trees  at  the  foot  of  the 
cliffs  that  ran  landward  to  deep  Glen  Etive.  The  wild 
deer  could  be  shot  from  the  window,  and  the  salmon 
taken  out  of  the  stream  from  the  door  of  their  dwelling. 
There  they  passed  the  spring  and  summer  months, 
Usna's  sons  of  the  white  steeds  and  the  brown  deer- 
hounds,  whose  breasts  were  broader  than  the  wooden 
leaves  of  the  door.  Above  the  hunting-lodge,  on  the 
grassy  slope  that  is  at  the  foot  of  the  cascade,  they  built 
a  sunny  summer  home  for  Deirdre,  and  they  called  it  the 
'  Grianan,'  or  sunny  bower  of  Deirdre.  It  was  thatched 
on  the  outside  with  the  long- stalked  fern  of  the  dells 
and  the  red  clay  of  the  pools,  and  lined  within  with  the 
pine  of  the  mountains  and  the  downy  feathers  of  the 
wild  birds ;  and  round  it  was  the  apple-garden  of 
Clan  Usna,  with  the  apple-tree  of  Deirdre  in  its  midst 
and  the  apple-trees  of  Naisi  and  Ainle  and  Arden 
encircling  it. 

And  Deirdre  loved  her  life,  for  she  was  free  as  the 
brown  partridge  flying  over  the  mountains,  or  as  the 
vessels  with  ruddy  sails  swinging  upon  the  loch. 

But  in  the  winter  they  moved  down  to  the  broad 
sheltered  pasture-lands  that  lay  on  the  western  side  of 

224 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons       225 

the  loch  near  the  island  that  was  in  olden  days  called 
Eilean  Chlann  Uisne  or  the  Island  of  the  Children  of 
Usna,  but  is  called  Eilean  nan  Ron  or  the  Isle  of  the  Seals 
to-day ;  and  there  they  built  a  mighty  fortress  for 
Deirdre  and  the  sons  of  Usna  which  men  still  call  the 
Caisteal  Nighean  Righ  Eirinn  or  the  Castle  of  the 
Daughter  of  the  King  of  Ireland,  and  thence  they  made 
wars  and  conquered  a  great  part  of  Western  Alba  and 
became  powerful  princes. 

One  sultry  evening  in  the  late  autumn,  Deirdre  and 
Naisi  were  resting  before  the  door  of  her  sunny  bower 
after  a  day  spent  by  the  brothers  in  the  chase.  Below, 
their  followers  were  cutting  up  the  deer,  and  as  they 
brought  in  the  bags  of  heavy  game,  and  faggots  for  the 
hearth,  the  voice  of  Ainle  singing  an  evening  melody 
resounded  through  the  wood.  Like  the  sound  of  the  wave 
the  voice  of  Ainle,  and  the  rich  bass  of  Arden  answered 
him,  as  together  the  two  brothers  came  out  from  the 
shadow  of  the  trees,  gathering  to  the  trysting-place  of 
the  evening  meal. 

Between  Naisi  and  Deirdre  a  draught-board  was  set, 
but  Deirdre  was  winning,  for  a  mood  of  oppression  lay 
upon  Naisi  and  his  thoughts  were  not  in  the  game. 
For  of  late,  at  evening,  his  exile  weighed  upon  him,  and 
little  good  to  him  seemed  his  prosperity  and  his  suc- 
cesses, since  he  did  not  see  his  own  home  in  Ireland  and 
his  friends  at  the  time  of  his  rising  in  the  morning  or  at 
the  time  of  his  lying  down  at  night.  For  great  as  were 
his  possessions  in  Alba,  stronger  in  him  than  the  love 
of  his  kindred  in  Alba  was  the  love  of  his  native  land  in 
Erin.  He  thought  it  strange,  moreover,  that  of  those 
three  who  in  the  old  time  loved  him  most,  Fergus  and 
Conall  Cernach  and  Cuchulain,  not  one  of  them  had  all 


226  Cuchulain 

this  time  come  to  bring  him  to  his  own  land  again  under 
his  safeguard  and  protection. 

So,  as  they  played,  Deirdre  could  see  that  the  mind  of 
Naisi  was  wandering  from  the  game,  and  her  heart  smote 
her,  as  often  it  had  smitten  her  before  when  she  had  seen 
him  thus  oppressed,  that  for  her  sake  so  much  had  gone 
from  him  of  friends  and  home,  and  his  allegiance  to  his 
king,  and  honourable  days  among  his  clan.  Wistfully 
she  smiled  across  the  board  at  Naisi,  but  mournful  was 
the  answering  smile  he  sent  her  back. 

"  Play,  play,"  she  said,  "  I  win  the  game  from  you." 
"  One  game  the  more  or  less  can  matter  little  when  all 
else  is  lost,"  he  answered  bitterly.  But  hardly  had  the 
unkind  words  passed  from  him,  the  first  unkindness 
Deirdre  ever  heard  from  Naisi's  lips,  when  far  below, 
across  the  silent  waters  of  the  lake,  he  caught  a  distant 
call,  his  own  name  uttered  in  a  ringing  voice  that  seemed 
familiar,  a  voice  that  brought  old  days  to  memory. 

"  I  hear  the  voice  of  a  man  from  Erin  call  below," 
he  cried,  and  started  up.  Now  Deirdre  too  had  heard 
the  cry  and  well  she  knew  that  it  was  Fergus'  voice  they 
heard,  but  deep  foreboding  passed  across  her  mind  that 
all  their  hours  of  happiness  were  past,  and  grief  and 
rending  of  the  heart  in  store.  So  quickly  she  replied  : 
"  How  could  that  be  ?  It  is  some  man  of  Alba  com- 
ing from  the  chase,  belated  in  returning.  No  voice  was 
that  from  Erin  ;  it  was  a  Scotchman's  cry.  Let  us 
play  on." 

Three  times  the  voice  of  Fergus  came  sounding  up  the 
glen,  and  at  the  last,  Naisi  sprang  up.  "  You  are  mis- 
taken, damsel ;  of  a  certainty  I  know  this  is  the  voice 
of  Fergus."  "  I  knew  it  all  the  time,  whose  voice  it 
was,"  said  Deirdre,  when  she  saw  he  would  not  be  put 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons      227 

off.  "  Why  then  didst  thou  not  tell  us  ?  "  Naisi  asked. 
"  A  vision  that  I  saw  last  night  hath  hindered  me," 
replied  the  girl.  "  I  saw  three  birds  come  to  us  out  of 
Emain  from  the  King,  carrying  three  sips  of  honey  in 
their  bills  ;  the  sips  of  honey  they  left  here  with  us,  but 
took  three  sips  of  our  red  blood  away  with  them." 

"  What  is  thy  rede  of  this  vision,  O  Damsel  ?  "  Naisi 
asked.  "  Thus  do  I  understand  it,"  Deirdre  said ; 
"  Fergus  hath  come  from  our  own  native  land  with  peace, 
and  sweet  as  honey  will  his  message  be ;  but  the  three 
sips  of  blood  that  he  will  take  away  with  him,  those 
three  are  ye,  for  ye  will  go  with  him,  and  be  betrayed 
to  death."  "  Speak  not  such  words,  O  Deirdre,"  cried 
they  all ;  "  never  would  Fergus  thus  betray  his  friends. 
Alas  !  that  words  like  this  should  pass  thy  lips.  We  stay 
too  long  ;  Fergus  awaits  us  at  the  port.  Go,  Ainle,  and 
go,  Arden,  down  to  meet  him,  and  to  give  him  loving 
welcome  here."  So  Arden  went,  and  Ainle,  and  three 
loving  kisses  fervently  they  gave  to  Fergus  and  his  sons. 
Gladly  they  welcomed  the  wayfarers  to  Naisi's  home, 
and  led  them  up  ;  and  Naisi  and  Deirdre  arose  and 
stretched  their  hands  in  welcome  ;  and  they  gave  them 
blessing  and  three  kisses  lovingly,  for  old  times'  sake,  and 
eagerly  they  asked  for  tidings  of  Erin,  and  of  Ulster 
especially.  "  I  have  no  other  tidings  half  so  good  as 
these,"  said  Fergus,  "  that  King  Conor  waits  for  you  to 
give  you  welcome  back  to  Emain,  and  to  the  Red  Branch 
House.  I  am  your  surety  and  your  safeguard,  and  full 
well  ye  know  that  under  Fergus'  safeguard  ye  are  sure 
of  peace."  "  Heed  not  that  message,  Naisi,"  Deirdre 
said ;  "  greater  and  wider  is  your  lordship  here,  than 
Conor's  rule  in  Erin." 

"  Better  than   any   lordship   is   one's   native   land," 


228  Cuchulain 

said  Naisi ;  "  dearer  to  me  than  great  possessions  here, 
is  one  more  sight  of  Erin's  well-loved  soil." 

"  My  word  and  pledge  are  firm  on  your  behalf,"  said 
Fergus ;  "  with  me  no  harm  or  hurt  can  come  to  you." 
"  Verily  and  indeed,  thy  word  is  firm,  and  we  will  go 
with  thee." 

But  to  their  going  Deirdre  consented  not,  and  every 
way  she  sought  to  hinder  them,  and  wept  and  prayed 
them  not  to  go  to  death.  "  Now  all  my  joy  is  past," 
she  said  ;  "  I  saw  last  night  the  three  black  ravens  bearing 
three  sad  leaves  of  the  yew-tree  of  death  ;  and  0  Beloved, 
those  three  withered  leaves  I  saw  were  the  three  sons  of 
Usna,  blown  off  their  stem  by  the  rough  wind  of  Conor's 
wrath  and  the  damp  dew  of  Fergus'  treachery."  And 
they  were  sorry  that  she  had  said  that.  "  These  are  but 
foolish  women's  fears,"  said  they ;  "  the  dropping  of 
leaves  in  thy  dream,  and  the  howling  of  dogs,  the  sight 
of  birds  with  blood-drops  in  their  bills,  are  but  the  rest- 
lessness of  sleep,  O  Deirdre  ;  and  verily  we  put  our  trust 
in  Fergus'  word.     To-night  we  go  with  him  to  Erin." 

Gladsome  and  gay  were  the  three  brothers  then ;  they 
put  all  fears  away  from  them,  and  set  to  prepare  them 
for  their  journey  back  to  Erin's  shores.  And  early  the 
next  morning,  about  the  parting  of  night  from  day, 
at  the  delay  of  the  morning  dawn,  they  passed  down  to 
their  galley  that  rocked  upon  the  loch,  and  hoisted  sail, 
and  calmly  and  peacefully  they  sailed  out  into  the 
ocean.  But  Deirdre  sat  in  the  stern  of  the  boat,  and  her 
face  was  not  set  forward  looking  towards  Erin,  but  it 
was  set  backward  looking  on  the  coasts  of  Scotland. 
And  she  cried  aloud,  "  O  Land  of  the  East,  My  love  to 
thee,  with  thy  wondrous  beauty  !  Woe  is  me  that  I 
leave  thy  lochs  and  thy  bays,  thy  flowering  delightful 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons       229 

plains,  and  thy  bright  green- smooth  hills  !  Dear  to 
me  the  fort  that  Naisi  built,  dear  the  sunny  bower 
up  the  glen  ;  very  dear  to  my  heart  the  wooded  slope 
holding  the  sunbeams  where  I  have  sat  with  Naisi." 
And  as  they  sailed  out  of  Glen  Etive  she  sang  this  song, 
sadly  and  sorrowfully  : — 

"  Farewell,  dear  Alba  of  the  free, 
Beloved  land  beside  the  sea, 
No  power  could  drag  me  from  my  home, 
Did  I  not  come,  Naisi,  with  thee. 

Farewell,  dear  bowers  within  the  Glen, 
Farewell,  strong  fort  hung  over  them, 
Dear  to  the  heart  each  shining  isle, 
That  seems  to  smile  beneath  our  ken. 

Glen  da  Roe ! 

Where  the  white  cherry  and  garlic  blow, 
On  thy  blue  wave  we  rocked  to  sleep, 
As  on  the  deep,  by  Glen  da  Roe. 

Glen  Etive ! 

Whose  sunny  slopes  these  waters  lave, 
The  rising  sun  we  seemed  to  hold, 
As  in  a  fold,  in  Glen  Etive. 

Glen  Masaun  ! 

Love  to  all  those  who  here  were  born  ! 
Across  thy  peak,  at  twilight's  fall, 
The  cuckoos  call,  in  Glen  Masaun. 

Farewell,  dear  Land, 
From  Alba's  strand  I  ne'er  had  roved 
Save  at  the  call  of  my  beloved, 
Farewell,  dear  Land  !  " 

The  next  day  they  reached  the  shores  of  Ireland  not 
far  from  the  fort  of  Borrach.     And  as  they  landed  there, 


230  Cuchulain 

messengers  from  Borrach  met  Fergus,  saying,  "  Borrach 
hath  prepared  a  feast  for  the  King,  and  it  is  the  King's 
command  that  the  honour  of  this  feast  be  given  to  thee. 
Come  therefore  and  spend  this  night  with  me  ;  but  the 
King  desires  to  hasten  the  sons  of  Usna  that  he  may 
welcome  them,  and  he  bids  them  press  onward  to  Emain 
this  very  night." 

When  Fergus  heard  that,  sudden  fear  and  gloom  over- 
shadowed him,  lest  in  very  truth  Conor  had  evil  designs 
towards  the  sons  of  Usna.  "  It  was  not  well  done,  O 
Borrach,  to  offer  me  a  feast  in  Conor's  stead  this  night, 
for  I  was  pledged  to  bring  the  sons  of  Usna  straight  to 
Emain  without  delay."  "  It  is  the  King's  command," 
said  Borrach  ;  "  needs  must  a  true  vassal  obey  the  King." 
Still  was  Fergus  loth  to  stay  and  he  asked  Naisi  what  he 
ought  to  do  about  this.  "  Do  what  they  desire  of  thee, 
O  Fergus,"  said  Deirdre,  "if  to  partake  of  a  banquet 
seems  better  to  thee  than  to  protect  the  sons  of  Usna. 
However  to  me  it  seems  that  the  lives  of  thy  three  friends 
is  a  good  price  to  pay  for  a  feast." 

"  I  will  not  forsake  them,"  said  Fergus  ;  "  for  my  two 
sons,  Ulan  the  Fair  and  Buinne  the  Ruthless  Red  will 
be  with  them  to  protect  them,  and  my  word  of  honour, 
moreover,  with  them  ;  if  all  the  warriors  of  Erin  were 
assembled  in  one  place,  and  all  of  one  mind,  they  would 
not  be  able  to  break  the  pledge  of  Fergus." 

"  Much  thanks  we  give  thee  for  that,"  said  Naisi,  for 
he  saw  that  Fergus  feared  to  fall  foul  of  Conor  more  than 
he  cared  for  their  safety  ;  "  never  have  we  depended  on 
any  protection  but  that  of  our  own  right  hands  alone ; 
we  will  then  go  forward  to  Emain  Macha,  and  see  there 
if  the  word  of  Fergus  will  be  sufficient  to  protect  us." 

But  Deirdre  said  :    "Go  not  forward  to-night ;  but  let 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons       23  1 

us  turn  aside,  and  for  this  one  night  take  shelter  with 
Cuchulain  at  Dundalk  ;  then  will  Fergus  have  partaken 
of  his  feast,  and  he  will  be  ready  to  go  with  you.  So  will 
his  word  be  fulfilled  and  yet  your  lives  will  be  prolonged." 
"  We  think  not  well  of  that  advice,"  said  Buinne  the 
Ruthless  Red ;  "  you  have  with  you  the  might  of  your 
own  good  hands,  and  our  might,  and  the  plighted  word 
of  Fergus  to  protect  you  ;  impossible  is  it  that  ye  should 
be  betrayed."  "  Ah  !  that  plighted  word  of  Fergus' ; 
the  man  who  forsook  us  for  a  feast !  "  said  Deirdre. 
"  Well  may  we  rely  on  Fergus'  plighted  word."  And  she 
fell  into  grief  and  dejection.  "  Alas  !  Alas  !  "  she  cried. 
"  Why  left  we  Alba  of  the  red  deer  to  come  again  to  Erin  ? 
Why  put  we  trust  in  the  light  word  of  Fergus  ?  Woe 
is  come  upon  us  since  we  listened  to  the  promises  of  that 
man  !  The  valiant  sons  of  Usna  are  destroyed  by  him, 
the  Lights  of  Valour  of  the  Gael.  Great  is  my  heavi- 
ness of  heart  to-night !  Great  is  the  loss  that  is  fallen 
upon  us." 

In  spite  of  that  the  sons  of  Usna  and  their  two  friends 
went  onward  towards  the  White  Cairn  of  Watching  on 
Sliab  Fuad ;  but  Deirdre  was  very  weary  and  she 
lingered  behind  in  the  glen,  and  sat  down  to  rest  and  fell 
asleep.  They  did  not  notice  at  first  that  she  was  not 
with  them,  but  Naisi  found  it  out  and  he  turned  back 
to  seek  Deirdre.  He  found  her  sitting  in  the  wood  on 
the  trunk  of  a  fallen  tree,  just  waking  from  her  sleep. 
When  she  saw  Naisi  she  arose  and  clung  to  him.  "  What 
happened  to  thee,  O  fair  one  ?  "  said  Naisi,  "  and  where- 
fore is  thy  face  so  wild  and  fearful,  and  tears  within 
thine  eyes  ?  " 

"  I  fell  into  a  sleep,  for  I  was  weary,"  she  replied  ;  "  and 
O  Naisi,  I  fear  because  of  the  vision  and  the  dream  I 


232  Cuchulain 

saw."  "  Thou  art  too  apt  to  dream,  beloved,"  said 
Naisi  tenderly,  "  what  was  thy  dream  ?  "  "  Terrible 
was  my  dream,"  said  Deirdre  ;  "I  saw  thee,  Naisi,  and 
Ainle  and  Arden,  each  of  ye  three  beloved  ones,  without  a 
head,  thy  headless  bodies  lying  side  by  side  near  Emain's 
fort ;  and  Ulan  lay  there  too  drenched  all  with  blood,  and 
headless  like  ye  three.  But  on  the  other  side  among  our 
enemies,  fighting  against  us,  was  the  treacherous  Buinne 
the  Ruthless  Red,  who  now  is  our  protector  and  our 
guide  ;  for  he  had  saved  his  head  by  treachery  to  thee." 
"  Sad  were  thy  dream  indeed,"  said  Naisi,  "  were  it  true  ; 
but  fear  it  not,  it  was  an  empty  vision  grown  out  of  weari- 
ness and  pain."  But  Deirdre  clung  yet  to  him,  and  she 
cried,  "  O  Naisi,  see,  above  thy  head,  and  o'er  the  heads 
of  Ainle  and  of  Arden,  that  sombre  cloud  of  blood  !  dost 
thou  not  mark  it  hanging  in  the  air  ?  All  over  Emain 
lies  the  heavy  pall ;  but  on  thy  head  and  theirs  red 
blood-drops  fall,  big,  dusky,  drenching  drops.  Let  us 
not  go  to  Emain."  But  Naisi  thought  that  from  her 
weariness  the  mind  of  Deirdre  had  become  distraught, 
and  all  the  more  he  pressed  them  onward,  that  she  might 
have  rest  and  shelter  for  the  night.  As  they  drew  near 
to  Emain,  Deirdre  said,  "  One  test  I  give  you  whether 
Conor  means  you  good  or  harm.  If  into  his  own  house 
he  welcomes  you,  all  will  be  well,  for  in  his  own  home 
would  no  monarch  dare  to  harm  a  guest ;  but  if  he  send 
you  to  some  other  house,  while  he  himself  stays  on  in 
Emain's  court,  then  treachery  and  guile  is  meant  towards 
you." 

Now  as  they  reached  the  Court  of  Emain,  messengers 
came  out  to  meet  them  from  the  King.  "  King  Conor 
bids  you  welcome,"  said  the  men  ;  "  right  glad  is  he  that 
vou  are  come  again  to  Erin,  to  your  fatherland.     But 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons       233 

for  this  one  night  only  is  he  not  prepared  to  call  you  as 
his  guests  to  his  own  court.  To-morrow  he  will  give 
you  audience  and  bid  you  to  his  house.  For  this  one 
night,  then,  he  bids  you  turn  aside  into  the  Red  Branch 
House,  where  all  is  ready  for  your  entertainment."  "  It 
is  as  I  thought,"  said  Deirdre,  "  King  Conor  means  no 
good  to  you,  I  ween."  But  Naisi  replied,  "  Where  could 
the  Red  Branch  champions  so  fitly  rest  as  in  the  Red 
Branch  House  ?  Most  gladly  do  we  seek  our  hall,  to 
rest  and  find  refreshment  for  the  morrow.  We  all  are 
travel-stained,  but  we  will  bathe  and  take  repose,  and  on 
the  morrow  we  will  meet  the  King." 

But  when  they  came  to  the  House  of  the  Red  Branch, 
so  weary  were  they  all,  that  though  all  kinds  of  viands 
were  supplied,  they  ate  but  little,  but  lay  down  to  rest. 
And  Naisi  said,  "  Dost  thou  remember,  Deirdre,  how  in 
that  last  game  of  draughts  we  played  together,  thou  didst 
win,  because  we  were  in  Alba,  and  my  heart  was  here  at 
home  ?  Now  are  we  back  at  last,  and  let  us  play  again  ; 
this  time  I  promise  I  will  win  from  thee." 

So  with  the  lightsome  spirit  of  a  boy,  Naisi  sat  down 
to  play  ;  for  now  that  once  again  he  was  at  home  among 
his  people  and  in  his  native  land,  all  thought  or  dread  of 
evil  passed  from  him.  But  with  Deirdre  it  was  not  so, 
for  heavy  dread  and  terror  of  the  morrow  lay  on  her  heart, 
and  in  her  mind  she  felt  that  this  was  their  last  day  of 
peace  and  love  together. 

But  in  his  royal  court,  King  Conor  grew  impatient 
as  he  thought  that  Deirdre  was  so  near  at  hand,  and  he 
not  seeing  her.  "  Go  now,  O  foster-mother,  to  the  Red 
Branch  Hall  and  see  if  on  the  child  that  thou  didst  rear 
remains  her  early  bloom  and  beauty,  and  if  she  still  is 
lovely  as  when  she  went  from  me.     If  she  is  still  the 


234  Cuchulain 

same,  then,  in  spite  of  Naisi,  I'll  have  her  for  my  own ; 
but  if  her  bloom  is  past,  then  let  her  be,  Naisi  may  keep 
her  for  himself." 

Right  glad  was  Levarcam  to  get  leave  to  go  to  Deirdre 
and  to  Usna's  sons.  Down  to  the  Red  Branch  House 
straightway  she  went,  and  there  were  Naisi  and  her 
foster-child  playing  together  with  the  board  between 
them.  Now,  save  Deirdre  herself,  Naisi  was  dearer  to 
Levarcam  than  any  other  in  the  world,  and  well  she  knew 
that  her  own  face  and  form  were  upon  Deirdre  still,  only 
grown  riper  and  more  womanly.  For,  without  Conor's 
knowledge,  she  oft  had  gone  to  seek  them  when  they 
stayed  in  Alba. 

Lovingly  she  kissed  them  and  strong  showers  of  tears 
sprang  from  her  eyes.  "  No  good  will  come  to  you,  ye 
children  of  my  love,"  she  said  with  weeping,  "  that  ye 
are  come  again  with  Deirdre  here.  To-night  they 
practise  treachery  and  ill  intent  against  you  all  in  Emain. 
The  King  would  know  if  Deirdre  is  lovely  still,  and 
though  I  tell  a  lie  to  shelter  her,  he  will  find  out,  and 
wreak  his  vengeance  on  you  for  the  loss  of  her.  Great 
evils  wait  for  Emain  and  for  you,  O  darling  friends. 
Shut  close  the  doors  and  guard  them  well ;  let  no  one  pass 
within.  Defend  yourselves  and  this  sweet  damsel  here, 
my  foster-child.  Trust  no  man ;  but  repel  the  attack 
that  surely  comes,  and  victory  and  blessing  be  with 
you." 

Then  she  returned  to  Emain ;  but  all  along  the  way 
she  wept  quick-gushing  showers  of  tears,  and  heaved 
great  sighs,  for  well  she  knew  that  from  this  night  the 
sons  of  Usna  would  be  alive  no  more. 

"  What  are  the  tidings  that  you  have  for  me  ?  "  King 
Conor  asked.     "  Good  tidings  have  I,  and  tidings  that 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons      235 

are  not  good."  "  Tell  me  them,"  said  the  King.  "  The 
good  tidings  that  I  have  are  these ;  that  the  sons  of 
Usna,  the  three  whose  form  and  figure  are  best,  the  three 
bravest  in  fight  and  all  deeds  of  prowess,  are  come  again 
to  Erin ;  and,  with  the  Lights  of  Valour  at  thy  side,  thine 
enemies  will  flee  before  thee,  as  a  flock  of  frightened 
birds  is  driven  before  the  gale.  The  ill-tidings  that  I 
have,  are  that  through  suffering  and  sorrow  the  love  of 
my  heart  and  treasure  of  my  soul  is  changed  since  she 
went  away,  and  little  of  her  own  bloom  and  beauty 
remains  upon  Deirdre."  "  That  will  do  for  awhile," 
said  the  King ;  and  he  felt  his  anger  abating.  But  when 
they  had  drunk  a  round  or  two,  he  began  to  doubt  the 
word  of  Levarcam.  "  O  Trendorn,"  said  he  to  one  who 
sat  beside  him,  "  dost  thou  recollect  who  it  was  who  slew 
thy  father  ?  " 

"  I  know  well ;  it  was  Naisi,  son  of  Usna,"  he  replied. 
"  Go  thou  therefore  where  Naisi  is,  and  see  if  her  own  face 
and  form  remain  upon  Deirdre." 

So  Trendorn  went  down  to  the  House  of  the  Red 
Branch,  but  they  had  made  fast  the  doors  and  he  could 
find  no  way  of  entrance,  for  all  the  gates  and  windows 
were  stoutly  barred.  He  began  to  be  afraid  lest  the  sons 
of  Usna  might  be  ready  to  leap  out  upon  him  from  within, 
but  at  last  he  found  a  small  window  which  they  had 
forgotten  to  close,  and  he  put  his  eye  to  the  window,  and 
saw  Naisi  and  Deirdre  still  playing  at  their  game  peace- 
fully together.  Deirdre  saw  the  man  looking  in  at  the 
window,  and  Naisi,  following  her  eye,  caught  sight  of  him 
also.  And  he  picked  up  one  of  the  pieces  that  was 
lying  beside  the  board,  and  threw  it  at  Trendorn,  so  that 
it  struck  his  eye  and  tore  it  out,  and  in  pain  and  misery 
the  man  returned  to  Emain. 


236 


Cuchulain 


"  You  seem  not  so  gay  as  when  you  set  out,  O  Trendorn, " 
said  the  King  ;  "  what  has  happened  to  thee,  and  hast 
thou  seen  Deirdre  ?  "  "I  have  seen  her,  indeed ;  I  have 
seen  Deirdre,  and  but  that  Naisi  drove  out  mine  eye  I 
should  have  been  looking  at  her  still,  for  of  all  the  women 
of  the  world,  Deirdre  is  the  fairest  and  the  best."  When 
Conor  heard  that,  he  rose  up  and  called  his  followers 
together  and  without  a  moment's  delay  they  set 
forward  for  the  house  of  the  Red  Branch.  For  he 
was  filled  with  jealousy  and  envy,  and  he  thought 
the  time  long  until  he  should  get  back  Deirdre  for 
himself. 

"  The  pursuit  is  coming,"  said  Deirdre  ;  "  I  hear  sounds 
without."  "  I  will  go  out  and  meet  them,"  said  Naisi. 
"  Nay,"  said  Buinne  the  Ruthless  Red,  "  it  was  in  my 
hands  that  my  father  Fergus  placed  the  sons  of  Usna 
to  guard  them,  and  it  is  I  who  will  go  forth  and  fight  for 
them."  "  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Deirdre,  "  that  thy 
father  hath  betrayed  the  sons  of  Usna,  and  it  is  likely  that 
thou  wilt  do  as  thy  father  hath  done,  O  Buinne."  "  If 
my  father  has  been  treacherous  to  you,"  said  Buinne, 
"it  is  not  I  who  will  do  as  he  has  done."  Then  he  went 
out  and  met  the  warriors  of  Conor,  and  put  a  host  of 
them  to  the  sword.  "  Who  is  this  man  who  is  destroy- 
ing my  hosts  ?  "  said  Conor.  "  Buinne  the  Ruthless 
Red,  the  son  of  Fergus,"  say  they.  "  We  bought  his 
father  to  our  side  and  we  must  buy  the  son,"  said  Conor. 
He  called  Buinne  and  said  to  him,  "  I  gave  a  free  gift 
of  land  to  thy  father  Fergus,  and  I  will  give  a  free  gift 
of  land  to  thee  ;  come  over  to  my  side  to-night."  "  I 
will  do  that,"  said  Buinne,  and  he  went  over  to  the  side 
of  the  King.  "  Buinne  hath  deserted  you,  O  sons  of 
Usna,  and  the  son  is  like  the  father,"  Deirdre  said.     "  He 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons      237 

has  gone,"  said  Naisi,  "  but  he  performed  warrior-like 
deeds  before  he  went." 

Then  Conor  sent  fresh  warriors  down  to  attack  the 
house.  "  The  pursuit  is  coming,"  said  Deirdre.  "  I 
will  go  out  and  meet  them,"  said  Naisi.  "It  is  not  thou 
who  must  go,  it  is  I,"  said  Ulan  the  Fair,  son  of  Fergus, 
"  for  to  me  my  father  left  the  charge  of  you."  "  I  think 
the  son  will  be  like  the  father,"  said  Deirdre.  "  I  am 
not  like  to  forsake  the  sons  of  Usna  so  long  as  this  hard 
sword  is  in  my  hand,"  said  Ulan  the  Fair.  And  the 
fresh,  noble,  young  hero  went  out  in  his  battle-array,  and 
valiantly  he  attacked  the  host  of  Conor  and  made  a 
red  rout  of  them  round  the  house.  "  Who  is  that  young 
warrior  who  is  smiting  down  my  hosts  ?  "  said  Conor. 
"  Ulan  the  Fair,  son  of  Fergus,"  they  reply.  "  We  will 
buy  him  to  our  side,  as  his  brother  was  bought,"  said 
wily  Conor.  So  he  called  Ulan  and  said,  "  We  gave  a 
possession  of  land  to  thy  father,  and  another  to  thy 
brother,  and  we  will  give  an  equal  share  to  thee ;  come 
over  to  our  side."  But  the  princely  young  hero 
answered  :  "  Thy  offer,  O  Conor,  will  I  not  accept ;  for 
better  to  me  is  it  to  return  to  my  father  and  tell  him  that 
I  have  kept  the  charge  he  laid  upon  me,  than  to  accept 
any  offer  from  thee,  O  King."  Then  Conor  was  wroth, 
and  he  commanded  his  own  son  to  attack  Ulan,  and 
furiously  the  two  fought  together,  until  Ulan  was  sore 
wounded,  and  he  flung  his  arms  into  the  house,  and  called 
on  Naisi  to  do  valiantly,  for  he  himself  was  slain  by  a 
son  of  Conor.  "  Ulan  has  fallen,  and  you  are  left  alone," 
said  Deirdre,  "  O  sons  of  Usna."  "  He  is  fallen  indeed," 
said  Naisi,  "  but  gallant  were  the  deeds  that  he  per- 
formed before  he  died." 

Then  the  warriors  and  mercenaries  of  Conor  drew 


238 


Cuchulain 


closer  round  the  house,  and  they  took  lighted  torches 
and  flung  them  into  the  house,  and  set  it  on  fire.  And 
Naisi  lifted  Deirdre  on  his  shoulders  and  raised  her 
on  high,  and  with  his  brothers  on  either  side,  their 
swords  drawn  in  their  hands,  they  issued  forth  to  fight 
their  way  through  the  press  of  their  enemies.  And  so 
terrible  were  the  deeds  wrought  by  those  heroes,  that 
Conor  feared  they  would  destroy  his  host.  He  called 
his  Druids,  and  said  to  them,  "  Work  enchantment  upon 
the  sons  of  Usna  and  turn  them  back,  for  no  longer  do  I 
intend  evil  against  them,  but  I  would  bring  them  home 
in  peace.  Noble  are  the  deeds  that  they  have  wrought, 
and  I  would  have  them  as  my  servants  for  ever."  The 
Druids  believed  the  wily  King  and  they  set  to  work  to 
weave  spells  to  turn  the  sons  of  Usna  back  to  Emain 
Macha. 

They  made  a  great  thick  wood  before  them,  through 
which  they  thought  no  man  could  pass.  But  without 
ever  stopping  to  consider  their  way,  the  sons  of  Usna 
went  straight  through  the  wood  turning  neither  to  the 
right  hand  or  the  left.  "  Good  is  your  enchantment, 
but  it  will  not  avail,"  said  Conor ;  "  the  sons  of  Usna  are 
passing  through  without  the  turning  of  a  step,  or  the 
bending  of  a  foot.  Try  some  other  spell."  Then  the 
Druids  made  a  grey  stormy  sea  before  the  sons  of  Usna 
on  the  green  plain.  The  three  heroes  tied  their  clothing 
behind  their  heads,  and  Naisi  set  Deirdre  again  upon 
his  shoulder  and  went  straight  on  without  flinching, 
without  turning  back,  through  the  grey  shaggy  sea, 
lifting  Deirdre  on  high  lest  she  should  wet  her  feet. 

"  Thy  spell  is  good,"  said  Conor,  "  yet  it  sufficeth  not. 
The  sons  of  Usna  escape  my  hands.     Try  another  spell." 

Then   the   Druids   froze   the    grey   uneven    sea   into 


The  Death  of  Usna's  Sons      239 

jagged  hard  lumps  of  rugged  ice,  like  the  sharpness  of 
swords  on  one  side  of  them  and  like  the  stinging  of 
serpents  on  the  other  side.  Then  Arden  cried  out  that 
he  was  becoming  exhausted  and  must  fain  give  up. 
"  Come  thou,  Arden,  and  rest  against  my  shoulder," 
said  Naisi,  "  and  I  will  support  you."  Arden  did  so, 
but  it  was  not  long  before  he  died  ;  but  though  he  was 
dead,  Naisi  held  him  up  still.  Then  Ainle  cried  out 
that  he  could  go  no  longer,  for  his  strength  had  left  him. 
When  Naisi  heard  that,  he  heaved  a  heavy  sigh  as  of  one 
dying  of  fatigue,  but  he  told  Ainle  to  hold  on  to  him,  and 
he  would  bring  him  soon  to  land.  But  not  long  after, 
the  weakness  of  death  came  upon  Ainle,  and  his  hold 
relaxed.  Naisi  looked  on  either  hand  and  when  he  saw 
that  his  two  brothers  were  dead,  he  cared  not  whether 
he  himself  should  live  or  die.  He  heaved  a  sigh,  sore  as 
the  sigh  of  the  dying,  and  his  heart  broke  and  he  fell  dead. 

"  The  sons  of  Usna  are  dead  now,"  said  the  Druids  ; 
"  but  they  turned  not  back." 

"  Lift  up  thy  enchantment,"  said  Conor,  "  that  I  now 
may  see  the  sons  of  Usna."  Then  the  Druids  lifted  the 
enchantment,  and  there  were  the  three  sons  of  Usna 
lying  dead,  and  Deirdre  fluttering  hither  and  thither  from 
one  to  another,  weeping  bitter  heartrending  tears. 
And  Conor  would  have  taken  her  away,  but  she  would 
not  be  parted  from  the  sons  of  Usna,  and  when  their 
tomb  was  being  dug,  Deirdre  sat  on  the  edge  of  the 
grave,  calling  on  the  diggers  to  dig  the  pit  very  broad 
and  smooth.  They  had  dug  the  pit  for  three  only, 
and  they  lowered  the  bodies  of  the  three  heroes  into  the 
grave,  side  by  side.  But  when  Deirdre  saw  that,  she 
called  aloud  to  the  sons  of  Usna,  to  make  space  for  her  be- 
tween them,  for  she  was  following  them.     Then  the  body 


240  Cuchulain 

of  Ainle,  that  was  at  Naisi's  right  hand,  moved  a  little 
apart,  and  a  space  was  made  for  Deirdre  close  at  Naisi's 
side,  where  she  was  wont  to  be,  and  Deirdre  leapt  into 
the  tomb,  and  placed  her  arm  round  the  neck  of  Naisi, 
her  own  love,  and  she  kissed  him,  and  her  heart  broke 
within  her  and  she  died ;  and  together  in  the  one  tomb 
the  three  sons  of  Usna  and  Deirdre  were  buried.  And  all 
the  men  of  Ulster  who  stood  by  wept  aloud. 

But  Conor  was  angry,  and  he  ordered  the  bodies  to  be 
uncovered  again  and  the  body  of  Deirdre  to  be  removed, 
so  that  even  in  death  she  might  not  be  with  Naisi.  And 
he  caused  Deirdre  to  be  buried  on  one  side  of  the  loch, 
and  Naisi  on  the  other  side  of  the  loch,  and  the  graves 
were  closed.  Then  a  young  pine-tree  grew  from  the  grave 
of  Deirdre,  and  a  young  pine  from  the  grave  of  Naisi,  and 
their  branches  grew  towards  each  other,  until  they 
entwined  one  with  the  other  across  the  loch.  And  Conor 
would  have  cut  them  down,  but  the  men  of  Ulster  would 
not  allow  this,  and  they  set  a  watch  and  protected  the 
trees  until  King  Conor  died. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

The  Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  his  son  Conla 

'HEN  Cuchulain  was  yet  a  youth  in  Shadow- 
land,  living  with  Scath,  and  learning  feats 
of  her,  there  had  come  from  afar  another 
woman-warrior  to  make  war  upon  Scath,  a  terrible, 
fierce  princess  named  Aiffe,  who  had  under  her  many 
mighty  men.  Sore  was  the  war  between  them,  and  of 
Scath's  warriors  a  great  multitude  were  slain  and  her 
two  sons  also  fell  in  battle.  Then  Scath  called  Cuchulain 
and  persuaded  him  to  go  in  embassage  to  Aiffe  to  induce 
her  to  make  terms  of  peace  and  to  withdraw  her  troops 
into  her  own  country.  Cuchulain  went  on  that  em- 
bassage, and  he  pleased  Aiffe,  and  she  said  that  she  would 
return  into  her  own  country  if  he  would  go  with  her  and 
tarry  awhile,  and  aid  her  in  her  wars.  So  Cuchulain 
went  with  her  and  Aiffe  delighted  in  him  and  they  were 
wedded,  and  for  a  short  time  they  were  happy  in  each 
other's  company,  and  waged  wars  together  ;  but  soon 
Cuchulain  wearied  of  her,  when  he  saw  her  cruelty  and 
fierceness,  and  that  nothing  of  a  woman's  gentleness 
was  known  to  her.  And  though  she  besought  him  not 
to  leave  her,  he  bade  her  farewell,  and  returned  to  Scath 
to  finish  his  training,  for  the  time  drew  near  when  he 
must  go  back  to  Ireland.  When  he  bade  Aiffe  farewell, 
he  told  her  that  if  a  son  should  be  born  to  him,  she  was  to 

9  •» 


242  Cuchulam 

send  him  to  Ireland  at  the  end  of  seven  years  to  seek  his 
father.  He  gave  her  a  golden  arm-ring  to  keep  for  the 
child,  and  he  said  that  as  soon  as  the  arm-ring  should 
fit  his  wrist,  the  lad  was  to  come.  He  laid  upon  her,  too, 
three  stipulations  for  the  child.  First,  that  he  should  be 
called  Conla,  but  that  he  never  was  to  make  known  his 
name  to  any  ;  secondly,  that  if  any  man  offered  him 
single  combat,  he  must  on  no  account  refuse ;  and 
thirdly,  that  he  must  never  turn  back  from  any  journey 
that  he  had  undertaken,  no  matter  what  perils  stood  in 
his  way.  Cuchulain  prayed  Aiffe  also  to  send  his  son 
to  learn  feats  of  arms  with  Scath,  as  he  himself  had 
done.     And  Aiffe  promised  him  all  these  things. 

Seven  years  passed  away,  when,  one  day  in  summer, 
the  men  of  Ulster  were  holding  an  assembly  beside  the 
seashore,  at  the  place  that  is  called  "  The  Strand  of  the 
Track."  Their  business  over,  they  were  amusing  them- 
selves along  the  beach,  until  they  saw  coming  towards 
them  over  the  waves  a  skiff  of  bronze,  light  and  swift- 
moving,  rowed  by  two  golden  oars.  Within  the  skiff, 
as  firmly  as  though  he  were  on  dry  land,  there  stood  a 
little  lad  playing  at  games  of  skill.  At  his  feet  was  a 
heap  of  stones  and  in  his  hand  a  sling,  and  as  the  boat 
moved  on,  he  would  take  a  stone  in  his  hand  and  fit  it  to 
the  sling,  launching  it  at  the  wild  sea-birds  that  soared 
above  his  head  in  the  deep,  unclouded  sky.  So  cleverly 
did  he  hit  them  that  the  birds  fell  at  his  feet  unhurt,  and 
he  would  throw  them  up  again,  and  shoot  another  stone 
and  so  bring  them  down  a  second  time  alive.  When 
he  tired  of  this  strange  feat,  he  played  the  apple-feat 
upon  his  breath,  sending  little  golden  apples  into  the 
air,  by  the  blowing  of  his  mouth,  so  high  that  the  eye 
could  not  discern  them,  first  one  and  then  the  other 


Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  Conla   243 

until  they  danced  and  sparkled  in  the  sun.  Each 
golden  ball  was  of  a  different  size,  and  he  would  tune  his 
voice  to  different  notes,  the  balls  dancing  up  and  down, 
in  answer  to  his  singing,  each  to  its  own  note.  And  the 
men  of  the  Gathering  watched  him  with  surprise  as  he 
drew  near. 

"  Alas  !  "  said  the  King,  who  was  passing  by,  "  there 
is  woe  to  the  land  to  which  that  little  boy  comes.  For, 
if  a  child  like  that  can  do  such  feats,  of  what  sort  must 
be  the  men  of  the  land  from  which  he  comes  ?  They 
would  grind  us  all  to  powder  if  they  came  to  fight  with 
us.  Let  one  of  you  go  and  speak  with  the  boy,  but  let 
him  not  land  on  our  shores  at  all."  "  Who  shall  go  to 
meet  him  ?  "  said  they  ;  for  not  one  of  them  wished  to 
approach  the  little  boy,  so  greatly  had  his  skill  put  them 
in  dread.  "  Let  Condere  go,"  said  the  King,  "  he  is 
ready  in  speech  and  wise  in  argument,  and  he  will  find 
excuses  for  us,  why  the  stranger  should  not  land."  And 
Condere  was  content  to  go. 

As  the  boy  drew  near  the  shore,  he  was  about  to  leap 
upon  the  beach  when  Condere  accosted  him.  "  Stay," 
said  he,  "  thou  hast  come  near  enough,  good  lad,  for  us 
to  hear  who  thou  art,  and  from  what  people  and  country 
thou  dost  come."  "  I  make  not  myself  known  to  any," 
replied  the  boy ;  "  but,  if  there  is  a  man  here  who  would 
fight  me,  ready  am  I  to  meet  him,  for  never  have  I 
turned  back  from  any  combat." 

"  Thou  canst  not  land  here,"  persisted  Condere, 
"  until  thou  hast  made  thyself  known  to  us." 

"  Then  needs  must  I  return  whence  I  have  come, 
though  it  is  not  my  wont  to  turn  back  from  a  journey," 
said  the  boy,  and  he  made  as  though  he  would  move 
away  again.     When  Condere  saw  that,  he  was  sorry,  for 


244  Cuchulain 

the  child  was  fair  and  brave  and  had  an  open  face,  and 
the  high  look  of  a  prince  upon  him  ;  so  he  changed  his 
words  quickly,  and  called  after  him,  "  Come  back,  come 
back,  brave  boy  ;  no  doubt  the  King  himself  will  take 
you  under  his  protection,  Conor  the  valiant  son  of  Ness 
shall  be  your  guard.  Or  Amergin  the  poet  will  take  you 
to  his  care,  or  Conall  Cernach  will  be  your  protector  ; 
and  he  whom  Conall  shall  protect  is  ever  welcome  to  the 
men  of  Ulster.  No  one  dare  go  against  an  unripe  beard- 
less boy  when  under  Conall's  safeguard  ;  for  he  himself 
would  avenge  the  deed.  Pay  therefore  the  tribute  of 
the  Bridge,  which  all  who  come  from  far  must  pay  to 
Ulster  ;  then  will  the  men  of  Ulster  make  welcome  to  you 
here." 

"  Kindly  hast  thou  spoken,"  said  the  lad,  "  nor  do  I 
doubt  that  thou  dost  mean  me  well ;  yet,  not  to  seek 
protection  of  Conall  the  Victorious,  nor  of  Amergin  your 
poet,  nor  even  of  the  king  himself,  did  I  seek  out  this 
land  ;  nor  yet  to  hear  myself  dubbed,  '  an  unripe  beard- 
less boy,'  did  I  come  hither.  If  therefore  thou  wilt 
don  thy  arms,  and  come  to  meet  me  in  single  combat 
at  the  Bridge,  thou  there  wilt  get  thy  answer  ;  though 
the  might  of  a  hundred  were  in  thy  arms,  no  tribute 
will  I  pay,  unless  in  fair  fight  I  first  be  overthrown." 

But  when  Condere  saw  the  spirit  of  the  lad,  he  grew 
afraid,  for  though  he  was  an  orator  and  spoke  brave 
words,  he  had  no  mind  to  face  the  boy  in  fight.  "  Well, 
well,  my  boy,"  thought  he,  "I  will  let  some  better 
warrior  than  myself  go  and  speak  with  thee  in  words  of 
war,  since  words  of  peace  do  not  suffice  thee." 

Then  the  King  commanded  that  warriors  of  good 
renown  should  go  down  and  speak  to  the  boy  in  the 
battle-speech  of  arms  and  combat.     And  a  goodly  com- 


Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  Conla   245 

pany  of  men  went  down  to  withstand  the  stranger.  When 
the  little  lad  saw  that,  the  power  of  a  full-grown  fighting- 
man  came  upon  him,  and  he  donned  his  arms,  and  one 
after  another  as  they  came  to  the  waterside,  he  fell  upon 
them,  and  stretched  them,  dead  or  dying,  on  the  beach. 

"  This  must  not  be,"  exclaimed  the  King,  "  fetch 
Conall  Cernach  here  and  let  him  make  an  end  of  this 
presumptuous  youth." 

While  they  went  for  Conall  Cernach,  the  little  lad, 
instead  of  sitting  down  to  rest,  betook  himself  straight 
to  his  games  again.  One  would  have  thought  he  had 
no  other  end  in  life  but  to  perfect  himself  in  games  of 
skill,  and  that  to  bring  a  hundred  foes  into  the  agonies 
of  death  was  but  an  interruption  to  his  game.  When 
Conall  came  above  the  cliff  that  over-looked  the  water's 
edge,  and  saw  the  boy  practising  his  feats,  he  stopped 
awhile  and  watched  him ;  but  when  he  saw  his  cleverness, 
and  how  the  balls  rose  in  the  air  upon  his  singing  voice  : 
"  One  only  other  than  this  boy,"  he  said,  "  can  do  a 
trick  like  that,  even  Cuchulain,  Ulster's  Hound  ;  and 
indeed,  I  know  not  whether  he  can  do  it  quite  so  well." 
And  Conall  was  astonished,  but  he  would  not  let  the  lad 
perceive  his  admiration  or  his  fears. 

"  Thy  play  is  pretty,  my  good  boy,"  said  Conall,  as  he 
came  down  to  meet  him  on  the  beach.  "  Dost  thou  find 
it  so  ?  "  said  the  child  ;  "  then  I  play  now  against 
thee."  With  that  he  put  a  stone,  larger  than  all  the 
others,  in  his  sling,  and  shot  it  up  into  the  air  with  the 
force  of  a  great  thunder-bolt  and  with  the  noise  of 
thunder  ;  and  Conall  was  taken  unawares  and  fell  upon 
his  back  with  the  suddenness  of  the  commotion,  as 
though  he  had  been  dead.  Before  he  could  rise  again, 
the  boy  had   leapt  ashore  and  with  the  strap  of   his 


246 


Cuchulain 


shield  he  bound  him  where  he  lay,  so  that  he  could 
not  move. 

When  the  host  of  the  Ulstermen  saw  Conall  bound,  a 
wail  went  up  from  them,  for  never  since  the  day  that 
Conall  the  Victorious  first  took  arms  had  any  man  been 
able  to  overthrow  him,  though  he  had  fought  with  the 
most  famous  warriors  of  the  world.  With  one  voice 
they  cried,  "  Send  for  Cuchulain  here,  for  the  honour  of 
Ulster  is  at  stake  before  this  child.  Now  that  Conall 
lies  bound  in  fetters,  Cuchulain  alone  can  retrieve  our 
honour."  And  the  King  said  :  "  It  is  well ;  send  now 
for  Cuchulain." 

Cuchulain  was  in  his  own  fort  at  Dundalgan  when  the 
messengers  arrived.  But  he  refused  to  go  with  them, 
saying,  "  Where  Conall  Cernach  falls  there  is  no  hope  for 
me  ;  bravest  and  best  of  all  the  warriors  of  Ulster  is 
Conall  the  Victorious,  and  skilled  in  every  feat  of 
championship.  Who  then  is  this  stranger  who  has  come, 
and  what  is  his  name  and  lineage  ?  where  has  he  learned 
arts  to  fright  the  men  of  Ulster  ?  "  For  in  his  own  mind 
Cuchulain  thought,  "  There  is  but  one  who  can  have 
learned  those  feats  which  Scath  teaches  only  to  her  most 
valiant  pupils  ;  what  if  it  be  my  son  who  comes  ?  " 
So,  on  that  account,  he  was  unwilling  to  go  with  the  men. 

But  the  messengers  urged  him,  saying,  "  The  honour 
of  Ulster  is  at  stake  ;  the  king  also  commands  thee  and 
thy  people  wait  for  thee.  Wilt  thou  that  Ulster  be  put 
to  shame  before  her  foes  ?  " 

When  Cuchulain  heard  that  the  honour  of  Ulster 
was  at  stake,  he  said,  "  Go  on  before  me,  I  will  but  don 
my  fighting-gear,  and  I  will  come."  For  he  thought  on 
Conall  Cernach  lying  bound  upon  the  beach,  and  he 
remembered  their  old  love  and  pledge  of  ancient  friend- 


Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  Conla   247 

ship  ;  for  they  had  sworn  in  youth  that  if  either  of  the 
twain  were  in  any  trouble  or  peril,  the  other  should  go 
forth  to  his  aid,  wherever  he  might  be,  and  thinking  on 
this,  he  put  on  his  fighting  array,  and  took  his  massive 
broad-sword  in  his  hand,  and  the  terrible  spear,  the 
Gae  Bolga,  which  no  man  could  withstand,  and  that 
moved  like  a  living  thing  upon  the  water  to  find  its 
enemy. 

But  for  all  that,  Cuchulain's  heart  was  sad,  for  he 
thought  on  Aiffe,  and  on  Scath,  and  on  the  child  that  was 
to  be  born  to  him. 

Then  when  the  men  of  Ulster  saw  Cuchulain  coming 
towards  them,  clad  in  all  the  panoply  of  war,  and  his 
shield  and  massive  two-edged  sword  held  in  his  hand, 
their  grief  was  turned  to  gladness,  and  their  weakness 
to  power,  and  their  fear  to  courage.  And  they  cried, 
"  Welcome  Cuchulain,  Welcome,  Hound  of  Ulster ! 
With  thee  the  honour  of  Ulster  is  secure  !  Lo  !  thy 
comrade  and  thy  lasting  friend  is  bound  before  thy 
eyes ;  lo  !  the  glory  of  Ulster  is  laid  low.  Welcome, 
Cuchulain  !  " 

But  Cuchulain  came  on  slowly,  and  his  head  was 
bowed,  for  his  mind  was  troubled  within  him,  and  he 
liked  not  the  combat  of  that  day.  And  he  thought  to 
put  it  off  a  while,  so  he  stood  and  watched  the  boy,  who 
was  gone  back  to  his  games  again.  He  took  no  heed  of 
Cuchulain  nor  of  the  hosts  ;  nor  did  any  sign  of  weari- 
ness appear  on  him,  though  he  had  bound  a  hundred 
of  the  foe,  and  Conall  the  Victorious  with  them. 

Then  Cuchulain  said  :  "  You  make  delightful  play,  mjr 
boy.  Who  are  you  yourself  ?  what  is  your  name  ?  what 
your  nation  and  people,  that  we  may  know  ?  "  But  the 
boy  said  :  "  I  came  not  over-seas  to  tell  my  name  or  to 


248 


Cuchulain 


give  tidings  of  my  people  ;  never  shall  any  man  get 
such  news  from  me.  It  is  not  to  tell  my  name  that  I  am 
come,  but  to  get  peaceful  landing  here  ;  and  if  I  get  not 
peaceful  landing  in  this  place,  I  will  give  combat  to  any 
that  resists  me,  for  this  is  the  condition  that  is  laid  upon 
me,  that  I  should  never  turn  back  from  any  journey, 
and  that  I  refuse  not  combat  with  any  man  that  offers 
combat  to  me.  Willingly  would  I  now  do  battle  and  com- 
bat with  thee,  O  noble  warrior,  save  that  I  like  thy  face 
and  mien,  and  thy  person  is  as  the  person  of  a  prince  of 
men,  and  not  with  good- will  would  I  do  hurt  to  thee. 
Moreover,  thou  hast  brought  with  thee  no  strong  com- 
rade and  warrior  to  protect  thee  from  my  blows." 

Now  when  Cuchulain  heard  the  little  fellow  talk  like 
that,  he  laughed,  and  all  the  men  of  Ulster  sent  up  one 
shout  of  mirth  and  of  derision.  "  It  would  have  been 
necessary  for  me  to  bring  with  me  a  tiny  boy,  or  a  wee 
baby  in  my  arms,"  said  the  Hound,  "  if  I  were  to  fight 
without  odds  with  thee.  However,  lad,  no  warrior  or 
little  boy  can  pass  this  bridge  unless  the  toll  be  paid  and 
unless  the  stranger  tell  his  name  and  whence  he  comes. 
Therefore  stand  upon  thy  guard.  And  as  I  wish  no 
harm  to  thee,  come  thou  on  shore  and  we  will  wrestle 
with  each  other."  Then  the  lad  left  his  currach,  his 
little  boat  of  bronze,  and  stood  upon  the  shore.  But 
when  he  came  beside  Cuchulain  he  reached  not  up  to  his 
knees.  "  This  will  never  do,"  said  the  little  fellow, 
"  I  cannot  reach  thy  belt  to  wrestle  with  thee  ;  set  me  up 
upon  two  stones  that  I  may  come  on  a  level  to  fight  with 
thee."  Then  Cuchulain  helped  him  up  on  two  large 
stones,  and  he  thought  to  play  with  him  gently,  but  the 
lad  planted  his  feet  so  firmly  on  the  rock  that  Cuchulain 
could   not   move   him   the   smallest   hair-breadth   from 


Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  Conla   249 

his  place ;  while  before  ever  he  was  aware  of  what  was 
happening,  the  child  had  caught  him,  and  thrust  him 
backward  between  two  standing  pillar-stones,  so  that 
he  was  wedged  between  them,  and  could  not  free  himself. 
And  the  men  of  Ulster  groaned  aloud  when  they  saw  their 
champion  used  like  that. 

"  Come  down  to  the  water,  now,"  said  the  boy,  "  and 
we  will  see  which  can  pull  the  other  under."  And  they 
went  into  the  sea,  and  swam  out  a  good  space  from  the 
land,  and  they  caught  each  other  and  each  tried  to  hold 
the  other  down  beneath  the  waves  to  drown  him.  And 
twice  the  stranger  boy  got  the  head  of  Cuchulain  down 
and  held  him  there,  so  that  he  was  like  to  loose  his 
breath,  and  to  be  suffocated  in  the  sea. 

Then  all  his  fury  and  his  red  battle-anger  came  upon 
Cuchulain,  because  he  was  being  made  game  of,  and 
because  his  comrade  and  his  ancient  friend  Conall 
was  lying  bound  and  helpless  on  the  beach.  He  knew, 
too,  that  the  honour  of  Ulster  was  at  stake,  and  he  could 
do  nothing  with  this  youth  to  hold  it  from  dishonour. 
Therefore  he  loosed  his  belt  that  had  in  it  the  deadly 
weapon,  from  which  no  mortal  could  escape,  and  he  set 
it  on  the  water  towards  the  stranger-boy,  and  the 
weapon  moved  of  its  own  will  across  the  waves  of  the 
sea,  and  it  struck  the  lad  and  entered  him,  and  the 
water  of  the  ocean  was  stained  with  his  blood. 

"  Now  this  was  what  Scath  never  taught  me,"  cried 
the  lad,  for  he  knew  it  was  the  Gae  Bolga,  from  which 
he  could  not  escape  alive. 

"  Alas  !  "  said  Cuchulain,  "  it  is  true  "  ;  and  he  took 
the  lad  tenderly  in  his  arms  and  carried  him  out  of  the 
water,  and  laid  him  down  upon  the  beach.  And  as  he 
carried  him,  he  saw  upon  his  wrist  the  golden  ring  that 


250  Cuchulain 

he  had  left  with  Aiffe  to  give  the  lad,  and  he  knew  it 
was  his  son.  "  Here  is  my  son  for  you,  O  men  of 
Ulster,"  said  Cuchulain,  for  they  gathered  round  to  see. 
And  when  they  heard  that  it  was  his  own  son  that  he  had 
slain  for  the  honour  of  Ulster,  a  wave  of  grief  and  of 
mourning  went  through  the  host,  and  they  were  silent 
with  shame  and  said  no  word,  grieving  for  Cuchulain 
and  his  son.  Then  Cuchulain  said,  "  Alas  !  Alas  !  my 
son,"  and  he  drew  the  Gae  Bolga  gently  from  his  wounds, 
and  he  sat  down  beside  him  and  staunched  the  blood,  and 
he  began  to  call  upon  Aiffe,  that  she  might  comfort  and 
support  his  son.  But  Conla  said,  "  Grieve  not,  Cuchu- 
lain, Hound  of  Ulster,  by  whom  the  honour  of  Ulster 
is  avenged  to-day.  Call  not  on  Aiffe,  O  my  father,  for 
through  her  wiles  it  was  that  I  came  hither  to  do  combat 
with  thee  ;  evil  and  cruel  is  that  woman,  and  her  ways 
are  evil ;  for  it  was  to  avenge  herself  on  thee  because 
thou  hadst  left  her  that  she  sent  me  hither,  that  I  might 
bring  thee  to  death  or  die  myself  in  the  attempt.  I  am 
Conla  thy  son,  indeed  ;  yet,  until  to-day,  has  no  man 
known  my  name  ;  as  thou  didst  lay  command  upon  me, 
never  have  I  refused  combat  to  any  man,  nor  have  I 
turned  back  from  any  journey,  or  revealed  my  name 
to  any.  And  now,  O  Father,  first  of  Heroes,  it  is  well 
for  me  that  I  have  fallen  by  thy  hand.  No  shame  it 
is  to  fall  by  the  hand  of  the  Guardian  of  Ulster,  but  to 
have  fallen  by  a  lesser  hand,  that,  O  Father,  would  have 
been  unworthy  thee  and  me.  And  yet  it  is  woe  that  I 
must  die  so  young,  for  had  I  been  but  five  years  beside 
thee,  I  would  have  vanquished  the  champions  of  the 
world  for  the  honour  of  Ulster  and  for  thy  honour,  and 
I  would  have  made  thee  king  of  the  world  as  far  as  the 
walls  of  Rome.     Since  I  must  needs  die,  and  my  strength 


Fight  of  Cuchulain  with  Conla   251 

is  passing  fast  away,  lose  not  this  little  space  in  grief,  but 
point  me  out  the  heroes  of  Ulster  of  whom  Scath  used  to 
tell,  that  I  may  take  leave  of  each  before  I  die." 

Then  the  heroes  of  Ulster  drew  near,  and  Cuchulain 
named  them  all,  and  Conall  Cernach  amongst  them,  and 
the  boy  put  his  arms  round  the  neck  of  one  hero  after 
the  other,  and  kissed  them,  and  then  once  more  he  put 
his  arms  round  the  neck  of  his  own  father,  and  with  that 
he  died. 

When  Cuchulain  saw  that  his  son  was  dead,  he  laid 
him  on  the  earth,  and  he  stood  up,  and  a  burst  of  anguish 
like  the  breaking  of  a  heart  came  from  him.  And  he 
cried  aloud  :  "  The  end  is  come  indeed  for  me  : 

" '  I  am  a  man  without  son,  without  wife, 
I  am  the  Father  who  slew  his  own  child, 
I  am  a  hroken,  rudderless  bark, 
Tossed  from  wave  to  wave  in  the  tempest  wild  j 
An  apple  blown  loose  from  the  garden  wall, 
I  am  over-ripe,  and  about  to  fall.'  " 

Then  the  men  of  Ulster  came  about  Cuchulain  and 
tried  to  comfort  him,  and  they  raised  the  body  of  Conla 
on  a  shield,  as  it  is  wont  to  do  with  heroes,  and  they 
made  for  him  a  noble  grave,  and  buried  him  there,  with 
a  pillar-stone  to  mark  the  spot,  and  his  name  and  his  deeds 
written  thereon.  And  all  Ulster  wept  for  him,  and  the 
King  commanded  that  for  three  days  no  merriment  or 
feasting  should  take  place  within  the  borders  of  Ulster, 
as  is  wont  to  be  done  on  the  death  of  a  king. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
The  Hound  at  Bay 

YET  all  this  while  Cuchulain's  foes  drew  closer 
round  him,  watching  their  opportunity,  and  the 
land  was  filled  with  smoke  and  flame,  and  omens 
foretold  that  the  Hound  was  at  bay  at  last,  and  that  the 
King  of  the  Heroes  of  Erin  was  doomed  to  die.  For 
though  Meave  entered  not  again  into  open  war  with 
Ulster,  never  had  she  forgotten  the  disgrace  put  upon 
her  armies  by  Cuchulain,  in  that  he  alone  had  beaten  and 
held  back  her  troops  during  the  whole  winter's  length, 
slaying  and  destroying  her  chosen  men.  His  kindness  to 
her  in  her  weakness  she  soon  forgot,  or  if  she  remembered 
it,  it  was  made  bitter  by  the  laugh  of  Fergus  ;  she  felt 
humiliated  that  she,  the  mighty  warrior  queen,  and 
leader  of  her  forces,  had  stooped  to  ask  help  from  the 
hands  of  her  enemy.  So  she  awaited  the  moment  of 
revenge. 

Throughout  all  Ireland  she  sent  messengers  to  stir 
up  strife  against  Cuchulain,  so  that  he  was  harassed 
and  pursued  on  every  hand  ;  nor  did  he  ever  sleep  a  night 
in  peace.  To  all  those  men  whose  fathers  or  brothers 
or  sons  Cuchulain  had  slain  she  whispered  of  revenge, 
and  glad  and  pleased  she  was  when  one  and  another  fell 
upon  him  unawares  or  led  a  raid  into  the  country  of 
Murthemne,  to  burn  and  spoil  the  land.  Above  all,  she 
stirred  up  Luga,  son  of  Curoi,  prince  of  Munster,  and 

263 


The  Hound  at  Bay  253 

Ere,  the  son  of  Tara's  royal  king  ;  and  these  awaited 
but  a  chance  to  fall  upon  Cuchulain  unawares. 

But  worst  of  all,  she  sent  a  brood  of  monstrous,  ill- 
shaped  sprites,  half-women,  half-goblins,  in  their  forms 
and  minds,  to  learn  throughout  the  whole  wide  distant 
world  some  secret  way  to  bring  Cuchulain  to  his  death. 
Monstrous  they  were,  for  but  one  single  eye  was  in  their 
foreheads,  and  their  right  legs  and  left  arms  were  lopped 
off  at  the  stump.  They  did  not  move  along  the  earth 
like  men,  but  on  the  broad  back  of  the  whistling  winds 
and  wrapped  in  magic  clouds  of  their  own  making,  they 
sped  o'er  land  and  sea. 

Hideous  and  frightful  were  they  to  behold,  and  hideous 
were  their  thoughts  and  their  designs.  When  they  drew 
near,,  a  poisonous  ill-wind  preceded  them,  and  all  the  sky 
was  dark  with  venomous  clouds  about  them  and  above, 
so  that  although  they  saw  them  not,  men  shrank  with 
fear  and  felt  but  ill  at  ease.  These  creatures  then  she 
sent  through  the  wide  spaces  of  the  universe  to  learn  all 
cruel  magic  arts  that  hurt  and  trouble  men.  And  for 
five  years  they  wandered  through  the  earth,  until  they 
reached  the  fearful  realm  where  Vulcan  forged  his 
weapons  in  the  fire. 

The  secret  of  all  poisonous  herbs  they  learned,  the  use 
of  every  charm  that  spoils  men's  lives  and  drives  them 
to  despair ;  they  learned  to  raise  a  magic  stormy  sea 
upon  dry  land,  in  which  men  might  be  drowned  ;  and 
out  of  forest  twigs  and  fluttering  leaves  they  learned  to 
form  a  host  of  fighting-men  and  armed  them  with  the 
spiked  thorn  of  the  thistle  leaves  or  with  the  black- 
thorn's barb. 

From  Vulcan's  hand  three  cruel  spears  they  took, 
their     names,     '  Wind,'     '  Good-luck,'     and     '  Cast ' ; 


254  Cuchulain 

three  swords  of  magic  power,  too,  they  got,  the 
'  Wounder,'  and  the  '  Hacker,'  and  the  '  Hewer.'  "  By 
these  three  spears  or  these  three  swords  the  splendid 
Hound  shall  die,"  was  Vulcan's  word  ;  "  each  one  of 
them  shall  kill  a  king  of  Erin,  and  among  those  kings  will 
be  the  mighty  king  of  Erin's  hero-chiefs,  the  triumphant, 
heavy-smiting,  noble  youth,  whom  men  call  "  Ulster's 
Hound." 

Then  with  a  fierce  and  cruel  glee  those  hideous  children 
of  the  storm  bade  Vulcan  and  his  crew  farewell,  and  on 
the  rough  and  whistling  blast  that  blows  keen  from  the 
east,  they  rose  on  high  and  made  their  way  to  Erin's 
coasts,  alighting  on  the  plain  before  the  fort  of  Meave. 
She,  rising  early  on  the  morrow,  looked  forth  out  of  her 
bower,  and  saw  them  resting,  each  upon  one  leg  perched 
on  the  rampart's  top.  Her  five-fold  crimson  mantle 
flung  about  her,  straightway  she  stepped  forth  and  made 
them  welcome,  and  with  a  cruel  joy  she  heard  their  news. 
The  venomed  spears  and  hard- wrought  swords  she  took 
into  her  hands,  and  waved  and  brandished  them  to  try 
their  power,  but  though  from  point  to  hilt  she  bent  them 
back,  no  sign  of  crack  or  failure  could  she  find.  "  Well- 
tempered  swords  are  these,  indeed,"  she  cried,  "  by 
these  my  deadly  foe  shall  fall  at  last." 

Then  straight  to  Ulster  she  sent  forth  the  brood  of 
ill-formed  goblin  women.  "  Seek  out  Cuchulain  where 
he  lies,"  she  said,  "  and  on  him  try  your  spells.  Set 
right  before  his  face  your  magic  tide  of  ocean-waves 
that  he  may  rush  into  the  flood  and  come  thus  to  his 
death ;  or,  if  that  fail,  tempt  him  with  magic  troops  and 
armed  battalions  made  out  of  puff-balls  or  of  fluttering 
leaves  and  armed  with  sharp  and  prickly  thistle -spikes. 
Thus  lure  him  forth,  for  I  have  heard  it  said  that  Emer 


The  Hound  at  Bay  255 

and  her  women  hold  him  with  their  gentle  wiles  within 
his  own  strong  fort,  till  he  be  healed  of  all  his  pain  and 
wounds.  Tempt  you  him  out  into  the  open  plain,  and 
there  his  foes  will  find  and  speak  with  him  and  utterly 
and  for  -ever  strike  him  down.  My  hosts  are  there,  and 
Luga's  hosts  and  Erc's.  Give  to  each  one  of  them 
your  magic  spears,  that  he  may  not  escape.  Thus  shall 
the  strength  of  Ulster  fall  at  last  !  Thus  shall  our 
vengeance  come  !  Within  the  space  of  three  short  days 
bring  in  his  head  to  me." 

So  with  deep  wiles  Meave  laid  her  cruel  plans, 
plotting  Cuchulain's  death;  Murthemne  and  Cuchulain's 
country  she  filled  with  war-bands,  marching  through 
the  land  wasting  and  marauding,  and  they  burned 
the  villages  and  the  forests  of  the  plain,  so  that  the 
whole  region  was  a  cloud  of  fire  about  them.  Now 
the  friends  of  Cuchulain,  and  Emer,  his  dear  wife, 
had  taken  the  hero  away  with  them  from  his  own 
home  at  Dun  Dalgan  to  a  secret  glen  in  Ulster,  that 
is  called  the  Glen  of  the  Deaf,  because  no  sound  of 
war  or  tumult  reached  it,  where  was  a  pleasant  summer 
palace  retired  from  mankind.  There  they  enter- 
tained him  with  sweet  music  and  pleasant  tales  and 
games  of  chess,  to  hold  him  back  from  rushing  to  meet 
the  foe  ;  and  they  took  from  him  his  chariot  and  his 
weapons,  and  turned  his  chariot- steeds  out  into  the  fenced 
green,  for  they  knew  that  if  he  should  go  forth  at  this 
time,  he  must  surely  fall.  But  the  hero  was  restless 
and  unhappy,  and  save  that  he  had  plighted  his  word  to 
Emer  and  to  all  his  friends  he  would  not  have  entered 
the  Glen.  For  Emer's  sake  and  theirs  he  went  with 
them  to  the  lightsome  summer  palace,  and  sat  down  with 
the  poets  and  artists  and  the  women-folk  to  listen  to 


256  Cuchulain 

sweet  beguiling  music  and  tales  of  ancient  deeds  to  while 
away  the  time. 

Everywhere  throughout  the  Province  the  horrid 
brood  of  mis-shaped  children  sought  him,  but  they  found 
him  not,  neither  in  Dun  Dalgan  nor  in  Emairi,  nor  in  his 
own  country  of  Murthemne's  Plain ;  but  at  last  one  of 
them  soared  up  to  the  very  clouds  of  heaven  and  surveyed 
the  whole  wide  land  of  Ulster,  and  from  a  hidden  forest 
glen  she  heard  the  sound  of  joyous  revelry  and  the  high, 
shrill  voice  of  women's  laughter,  and  the  cheerful  noise 
of  a  great  company  keeping  festival  together. 

Then  she  transformed  herself  into  the  shape  of  a  black 
raven,  and  swooped  down  and  perched  above  the  seat 
on  which  Cuchulain  sat.  And  it  seemed  to  Cuchulain 
that  he  heard  words,  inciting  him  to  go  forth. 

"  Dun  Dalgan  is  burned,"  they  said  to  him,  "  and  all 
the  province  is  laid  waste  ;  the  war-bands  and  the  hosts 
of  Meave  have  ravaged  all  the  land,  and  everywhere 
but  smoke  and  flames  are  seen.    Arise,  0  Hound,  arise  !  " 

But  to  the  rest  it  seemed  as  though  the  raven  croaked, 
and  they  laughed  loud  to  hear  the  bird  of  ill-omen 
croaking  in  the  house.  Cuchulain  sprang  to  his  feet  to 
rush  forth ;  but,  as  he  rose,  his  mantle  caught  beneath 
his  feet,  and  he  was  thrown  backwards  on  his  seat.  Once 
more  he  rose  in  haste  and  red  with  shame,  but  the  great 
kingly  brooch  that  fastened  his  mantle,  being  loosened 
by  his  fall,  dropped  on  his  foot,  and  dropping  pierced 
his  skin.  "  Alas  !  alas  !  "  he  cried,  "  even  my  mantle 
warns  me  of  ill-luck  !  "  And  Emer  said,  "  'Tis  even  so  ; 
heed  now  the  warning  of  a  friend.  Let  this  pass,  Cu  ;  for 
three  days  stay  with  us,  and  then  in  peace  thou  mayest 
go  forth  to  fight.  For  three  days  only  have  the  Children 
of  the  Blast  their  fatal  power.     Not  for  thyself  or  thine 


The  Hound  at  Bay  257 

own  safety  do  we  thus  entreat,  but  for  the  sake  of  Ulster 
and  her  king.  For  Ulster  is  destroyed  if  Cuchulain 
falls.  For  three  days  then  abide."  And  for  the  sake  of 
Ulster  Cuchulain  stayed,  though  heaviness  and  shame  sat 
deep  upon  him,  and  in  his  heart  he  longed  to  go.  And 
wearily  he  sat  down  again  to  play  his  game  of  chess. 

For  that  night  the  Wild  Women  of  the  Blast  went 
back,  and  they  waited  until  another  day  was  past,  but 
towards  the  fall  of  night  the  horrid  brood  of  mis-shaped 
children  betook  them  to  the  Glen.  On  the  swift  magic 
wind  of  their  own  making  they  soared  aloft,  and  at  the 
very  entrance  to  the  Glen  they  lighted  on  the  ground. 
There  they  began  to  work  their  noisome  spells.  Out  of 
the  light  wee  puff-balls  and  the  rustling  forest  leaves 
they  formed  great  lines  of  fighting-men,  all  armed 
with  battle-weapons  of  the  hooded  sharp-spiked  thistle- 
stalks.  All  round  the  lightsome,  pleasant  house  the 
army  stood,  in  marshalled  band  on  band,  and  all  the 
country  rang  with  battle-shouts  and  cries  of  war  and 
trumpetings,  and  loud  pealing  laughter,  and  the  taunts 
of  strong  men  when  they  mock  at  cowards. 

In  the  palace  Cuchulain  caught  the  uproar  and  the 
mocking  laughter  of  the  phantom  fairy  hosts.  He 
started  up  and  would  have  rushed  madly  from  the  hall, 
but  those  around  him  stayed  and  hindered.  "  Close 
fast  the  doors,"  they  said,  "  if  for  this  one  day  and 
to-morrow  we  can  keep  him  fast,  the  magic  evil  spell 
is  past."  And  Emer  came  to  him  and  said,  "  This  one 
day  yet  abide,  O  dear  one,  noblest  of  the  whole  world's 
race,  my  one  and  only  love.  These  are  but  shows  and 
phantoms  that  thou  hearest  wrought  by  the  sprites  to 
lure  thee  to  thy  doom.  To-morrow,  or  the  next  day,  or 
the  next,  comes  Conall  Cernach  back  from  travelling. 


25  8 


Cuchulain 


Alone,  thou  fallest ;  with  him  thou  art  a  match  for  any 
host.  For  Ulster's  sake  and  ours,  and  for  thine  own, 
abide." 

Then  at  this  thing  Cu  felt  a  mighty  shame ;  his  soul 
was  filled  with  storms  of  anger  and  reproach.  "  Alas ! 
alas  !  "  he  cried,  "  henceforth  there  is  no  cause  to  guard 
my  life.  My  span  is  ended,  my  honour  is  destroyed. 
Better  for  me  than  all  the  gold  and  riches  of  the  world, 
if  I  had  died  before  there  fell  on  me  this  shame.  In  every 
tongue  this  noble  saying  is  recorded,  "  Fame  outlives 
life  " ;  but  by  your  urgency  I  keep  my  life,  when  all 
my  fame  and  honour  is  destroyed.  Come  death,  come 
life,  to-morrow  I  go  forth." 

And  gloomily  and  sadly  he  sat  down,  nor  would  he 
play  or  listen  to  the  music  of  the  bards,  or  hold  sweet 
converse  with  the  women,  but  all  that  night,  till  break 
of  day,  he  tried  and  proved  his  weapons,  and  his  spears 
and  sword  he  polished  lovingly,  and  he  sent  Laeg  out 
to  catch  his  chariot-steeds  and  bring  them  to  the  green 
beside  the  house.  And  his  heart  revived  within  him 
when  he  heard  without  the  neigh  of  the  Grey  of  Macha 
and  the  Black  Steed  of  the  Glen. 

But  the  foul  Children  of  the  Blast  were  disappointed 
and  dismayed  because  they  could  not  tempt  Cuchulain 
out.  And  all  that  night  they  sat  in  council,  devising 
plans  to  snare  him.  "  We  have  but  one  day  more," 
they  said,  "  before  our  power  is  lost.  To-morrow  then 
and  verily,  we  lure  him  forth." 

Before  the  morning's  sun  was  well  arisen,  on  the  blast 
of  the  swift  moaning  wind  of  their  own  making,  and  all 
unseen,  they  came  around  the  glen.  Then  they  put  forth 
their  magic  spells  and  round  the  house  they  made  the 
likeness  of  a  mighty  sea  that  wave  on  wave  rolled  ever 


The  Hound  at  Bay  259 

nearer  to  the  pleasure-house,  threatening  to  overwhelm 
it  as  it  stood.  Amid  the  women's  talk  and  loving 
laughter,  and  the  sweet  music  of  the  harps  and  singing 
men,  Cuchulain  heard  the  lapping  of  the  waves,  and  the 
low  distant  ocean's  roar,  and  whistling  of  the  wind  upon 
the  sea.  Then  he  rose  up  and  seized  his  weapons  in  his 
hand,  and  for  all  Emer  and  the  rest  could  do,  he  rushed 
forth  from  the  house.  And  madness  came  upon  him 
when  he  saw  the  rolling  billows  rising  ever  towards 
the  house,  and  all  the  land  covered  with  mist  and  spray ; 
and  he  called  Emer,  and  would  have  lifted  her  up  above 
the  waves  to  carry  her  in  safety  through  the  billows. 
But  Emer  and  the  rest  could  see  no  waves,  only  the  green 
waving  grasses  of  the  pleasure-field,  and  nought  they 
heard  save  the  soft  rustling  breath  of  spring  that  whis- 
pered through  the  leaves.  And  Emer  said  :  "  Little 
Cu,  O  my  first  love  and  darling  of  all  earth's  men,  never 
until  this  hour  have  I  or  any  of  thy  women-folk  put 
hindrance  in  thy  way  in  any  exploit  or  battle-raid  that 
thou  didst  desire.  Though  oft  we  wept,  and  many  a 
time  we  thought  thou  never  wouldst  return,  we  never 
held  thee  back.  But  now  for  my  sake,  my  own  chosen 
sweetheart,  go  not  forth.  No  sea  is  that  thou  seest  upon 
the  green,  but  only  waving  grasses  and  the  fluttering 
leaves.  Heed  not  the  magic  noisome  spells  of  those  thy 
enemies,  but  one  day  more  abide.  Then  never  till  the 
end  of  life  or  time  will  we  restrain  or  hold  thee  back 
again."  But  Cuchulain  said,  "  Emer,  restrain  me  not ; 
I  see  the  horses  of  Manannan  riding  on  the  waves ;  I 
hear  Manannan's  fairy  harp  play  gently  o'er  the  billows  ; 
Manannan's  ancient  face  I  see  beckoning  me  o'er  the 
main." 

Then  Emer  knew  that  the  hour  of  Cuchulain's  fate 


260  Cuchulain 

was  come,  and  that  nought  of  all  that  ever  they  could 
do  would  avail  to  turn  him  back.  For  the  seer  had 
prophesied  that  when  Cuchulain  should  see  the  horses 
of  the  ancient  Ocean  god  upon  the  waves,  and  when  he 
should  hear  Manannan's  harp  play  sweetly,  the  hour 
of  his  fate  was  come,  and  he  must  e'en  go  back  to 
Shadowland. 

Then  she  herself  called  Laeg  to  prepare  his  chariot 
and  harness  his  horses,  and  to  set  his  fighting-gear  in 
order,  that  not  by  phantasies  or  magic  wild  imaginings, 
but  as  a  chariot-chief  and  champion  facing  his  foes 
he  might  go  forth  to  die ;  and  she  brought  out  his  helmet 
and  set  it  upon  his  head,  and  placed  his  mighty  shield 
within  his  hand,  that  he  might  die  as  a  hero  should. 

And  when  Cuchulain  saw  his  chariot  standing  ready 
for  him,  and  Laeg  therein  awaiting  him,  and  the  noble 
steeds  pawing  the  ground,  the  phantoms  of  his  brain 
passed  away  from  him,  and  his  warrior  strength  and 
joyousness  of  mind  came  back,  and  he  donned  his  armour 
with  good-will  and  gladness,  and  made  to  spring  into  the 
chariot.  But  for  the  first  time  since  the  day  when  they 
rose  out  of  the  magic  lake,  the  steeds  obeyed  not  his  hand, 
but  started  from  him  and  turned  the  chariot  round, 
evading  him.  And  when  Laeg  drew  them  back,  and 
Cuchulain  prepared  to  spring  again  into  the  chariot, 
they  fled  away  before  him.  "  How  now,  how  now  is  this, 
good  steeds  ?  "  said  Laeg  ;  "  full  oft  before  ye  two  came 
bounding  at  your  master's  call,  nor  ever  turned  away. 
Ill  deed  is  this  of  thine,  for  never  upon  any  former  day 
did  he  and  I  need  help  from  you  as  now  we  need  it. 
Presage  of  evil  is  this  freak  of  thine  !  "  This  when  the 
Grey  of  Macha  heard  he  stood  quite  still,  the  Black  Steed 
by  his  side,   and  they  let  Cuchulain  mount   into  the 


The  Hound  at  Bay  261 

chariot;  but  even  as  he  sprang  to  take  his  seat,  his 
weapons  all  fell  down  about  his  feet ;  to  him  a  grim  fore- 
shadowing of  ill.  He  saw,  moreover,  that  from  the  horses' 
eyes  and  down  their  cheeks  coursed  tears  of  dusky  blood. 
Yet  for  all  that  he  stayed  not,  but  without  farewells 
or  partings  of  any  kind  at  all,  joyously  he  set  forth 
towards  Murthemne's  Plain,  to  meet  the  hosts  of  Meave. 
But  when  the  cruel  Children  of  the  Blast  saw  the  im- 
prisoned champion  go  forth  and  take  the  level  road 
across  the  plain,  up  to  the  highest  heavens  they  rose 
aloft  with  wild  shrill  cries  and  shriekings  of  delight,  and 
through  the  air  upon  the  whistling  wind  they  sped  before 
him,  hastening  to  arouse  the  hosts  of  Meave  to  meet  him 
in  their  strength.  Before  Cuchulain's  eyes  they  raised 
a  vision  of  battle-troops  and  marshalled  lines  standing 
round  Emain,  with  chariots,  steeds  and  weapons  in 
great  plenty.  He  saw  the  city  red  and  dark  with  flames, 
and  heard  the  shouting  of  the  foe  as  Emain  sank  in 
ashes.  That  vision  passed  away,  and  then  another 
came  before  his  mind.  He  saw  Dun  Dalgan,  his  own 
home,  aglow,  like  Emain,  in  the  ruddy  flame.  He  saw 
the  women  flying  from  the  flames,  with  hair  dishevelled, 
and  with  streaming  eyes.  He  heard  the  crashing  of  the 
blazing  walls,  as  inward  one  and  then  another  fell.  He 
saw  the  foe  behind  with  swords  upraised,  slaying  and 
cutting  down  the  women  as  they  ran.  Then  he  saw 
Emer,  his  own  loving  wife,  standing  alone  upon  the  outer 
wall,  scanning  the  distant  plain.  She  raised  her  hands 
and  called  on  him  for  help,  and  down  her  face  ran 
torrents  of  salt  tears.  Then  he  could  see  behind  her, 
creeping  slowly  on,  a  fierce  relentless  warrior  of  Meave's 
host.  And  with  one  spring  he  saw  him  seize  her  hair, 
the  soft  long  locks  Cuchulain  loved  to  touch,  and  back- 


262  Cuchulain 

ward  with  his  cruel  pitiless  hand  he  drew  her  head,  and 
with  a  single  blow  he  sheared  it  off,  flinging  it  in  disdain 
out  o'er  the  rampart's  wall,  and  trampling  her  fair  body 
under  foot.  When  he  had  seen  that  deed,  Cuchulain 
groaned,  and  sped  along  the  plain  with  greater  haste. 

Then  passing  o'er  a  stream  they  saw  a  maiden  stooping 
on  the  brink,  as  though  she  washed  and  rinsed  the  gar- 
ments of  the  slain.  Slender  and  white  her  body  and  her 
hands,  but  all  the  waters  ran  with  crimson  blood,  and 
still  she  washed,  and  wept,  and  wrung  her  hands,  and  all 
her  yellow  hair  hung  down  in  tresses  slowly  dropping 
blood.  Sharply  and  quick,  without  a  word  or  pause, 
Laeg  turned  the  chariot  when  he  saw  the  girl,  and  made 
as  though  to  flee.  "  How  now  ?  "  said  Cu ;  "  what  dost 
thou,  Master  Laeg  ?  What  spoils  are  these  the  maiden 
wrings  and  washes  in  the  stream  ?  and  who  and  what 
is  she  ?  "  "  She  is  the  Watcher  of  the  Ford,"  Laeg  cried, 
"  the  daughter  of  the  goddess  of  grim  war.  She  wrings 
the  garments  of  the  slain,  or  those  about  to  die.  Dost 
thou  not  see  that  they  are  thine  own  garments  that  she 
washes  out  to-day  ;  that  it  is  thine  own  sword  that  runs 
with  blood,  dying  the  river  red  ?  Alas  !  alas  !  while 
there  is  time,  let  us  now  turn  and  flee." 

"  Dear  comrade,  it  is  well,"  the  hero  said,  "  I  may  not 
turn  me  back  from  this  my  hour  of  vengeance  on  the  men 
of  Erin,  revenge  for  all  the  ill  that  they  have  wrought 
on  us.  What  though  the  fairy  woman  wash  my  spoils  ? 
great  spoil  of  arms,  of  armour  and  of  gear,  is  that 
which  by  my  spear  shall  shortly  fall  and  lie  there 
drenched  in  blood.  None  knows  it  better  than  I  know 
myself  that  in  this  coming  onslaught  I  must  fall ; 
whether  I  stay  I  am  devoted  to  death,  or  whether  I  go, 
the  span  of  my  life  is  run  out.     No  more  then  hinder  or 


The  Hound  at  Bay  263 

delay  my  course,  for  sad  as  you  may  be  to  see  me  go  to 
Death,  even  so  glad  and  cheerful  I  myself  go  forth  to 
meet  my  fate.  Let  me  but  once  more  thus  avenge  my 
country's  wrongs,  and  gladly  and  with  joy  I  give  my 
life." 

So  he  turned  again  and  faced  the  enemy,  and  all  his 
gloom  and  heaviness  passed  from  Cuchulain,  and  the 
delusions  of  the  gruesome  fairy  folk  troubled  him  no 
more.  Cheerfully  and  free  from  care  he  rode  on  to- 
wards the  host,  and  from  his  forehead,  brighter  than  the 
sun,  shone  out  the  Hero's  Light.  Right  terrible  and 
beautiful  he  stood,  his  mighty  sword  uplifted  in  his 
hand,  his  eyes  beneath  his  helmet  flashing  fire.  And 
when  they  saw  him  coming  thus  alone,  a  shout  of 
triumph  rose  from  all  the  host,  and  mounted  to  the  very 
clouds  of  heaven. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 
Fame  outlives  Life 


I 


THROUGHOUT  that  day  the  battle  rolled  and 
raged.  No  time  to  eat  or  drink  Cuchulain 
gave,  but  from  the  dewy  morn  to  fall  of  night 
he  wrought  upon  his  foes  death-dealing  blows,  cutting 
them  down  as  hailstones  crush  small  flowers.  And 
though  he  was  alone  against  a  host,  they  fled  in  terror 
from  his  path,  so  like  a  god  of  battles  and  of  war  the  hero 
seemed.  In  his  first  onset  men  and  horses,  hounds  and 
charioteers  gave  way  before  him,  as  the  corn  gives  way, 
bowing  before  the  scythe ;  and  all  around  his  path  the 
bodies  of  the  slain  were  piled.  Throughout  the  day, 
they  rallied  once  and  then  again,  but  still  they  could  not 
take  him  whole  or  strike  him  dead.  From  off  his  helmet 
and  the  armour  Scath  had  given,  their  weapons  broke 
and  shattered  in  their  hands ;  no  sword  would  wound, 
no  spear  would  pierce  his  skin.  His  chariot-steeds,  like 
horses  god-possessed,  trampled  their  men  to  death ;  the 
fire  breathing  from  their  nostrils  consumed  all  who 
ventured  near.  Thus  through  the  hosts  frqm  side  to 
side  Cuchulain  urged  his  steeds,  and  all  his  way  was 
heaped  and  piled  with  dead.  Twice  seemed  it  that  the 
victory  was  his,  but  at  the  last,  the  warriors  rallied 
and  held  him  back.  Then,  at  the  third  time,  the  Wild 
Women- Goblins  of  the  Blast,  who  watched  the  fight, 
screaming  above  the  slain,  swooped  down.      Into  the 

264 


Fame  outlives  Life  265 

hands  of  Luga  and  young  Ere,  but  late  ascended  Tara's 
royal  seat,  and  into  the  dread  hand  of  dark  Curoi,  they 
placed  the  venomous  spears  of  magic  might  brought  out 
of  fairy-land.  "  The  time  is  come,"  said  they ;  "  take 
these  and  strike  ;  with  each  of  these  three  spears  a  king 
shall  fall." 

Together  those  three  foes  drew  near,  and  first  Curoi 
threw  his  weapon,  aiming  it  at  Cu.  But  from  his  mantle 
once  again  it  swerved,  missing  its  mark.  But  glancing 
off  from  him,  it  pierced  the  Grey  of  Macha,  pinning  the 
gallant  creature  to  the  ground. 

Cuchulain,  when  he  saw  his  steed  transfixed,  without 
a  thought  for  his  own  safety,  bounded  from  his  chariot, 
and  stooped  to  draw  the  weapon  from  the  wound ; 
but  for  all  he  tugged  and  pulled,  he  could  not  get  it 
out.  While  he  was  bending  down  to  help  his  steed,  Ere, 
the  young  king  of  Erin,  flung  the  second  spear,  hoping 
to  kill  Cuchulain.  It  touched  his  hip  and  wounded  him, 
but  fell  upon  his  charioteer,  inflicting  a  mortal  wound. 
"  Alas,  my  little  Cu,"  cried  Laeg,  "  by  this  wound  now 
I  die ;  never  before  in  any  fight  or  foray  that  we 
have  faced  together  have  I  been  wounded  past  thy 
guard !  " 

"  Not  past,  but  through  me  went  that  spear,"  Cuchu- 
lain said,  "  see,  I  am  hurt  by  it.  My  blessing  with  thee, 
Laeg,  and  leave  me  now,  ere  faintness  falls  on  thee  ;  seek 
shelter  far  beyond  the  host,  thither  will  I  in  safety  lead 
the  way.  If  haply  thou  shouldst  escape  and  live  so  long, 
back  to  Dun  Dalgan  make  thy  way,  where  Emer  of  the 
waving  hair  still  looks  for  my  return.  My  blessing  take 
to  her  and  my  dear  love ;  tell  her  I  love  her  yet,  and  had 
I  lived,  not  all  the  women  of  the  whole  globe's  space 
would  e'er  have  lured  or  drawn  my  love  from  her.     Tell 


266  Cuchulain 

her  again,  tell  Conor  and  tell  Conall,  how  for  their  sakes 
I  wage  this  awful  fight,  tight  closed  in  grips  with  all  the 
hosts  of  Meave.  Tis  Ulster's  honour  and  mine  own 
I  avenge.  Let  Emer  weep  awhile  that  I  am  dead,  and 
mourn  my  loss  ;  surely  she  will  not  live  when  I  am  gone. 
Yet  for  their  bitter  weeping  and  their  tears,  the  dead 
return  not  to  their  friends  who  mourn.  My  blessing 
take,  O  Laeg ;  no  chariot-chief  had  ever  man  so 
faithful  and  so  true.  My  word  I  swear  upon  my 
weapons  here,  all  Erin's  hosts  shall  hear  how  I  avenged 
thy  loss.  In  grief  and  gloom  we  part !  Thou  goest 
and  Emer  goes  !  No  more  as  in  old  days  from  foreign 
lands  in  gallant  glee  shall  I  return  to  her." 

Thus  to  each  other,  in  heaviness  and  grief,  the  hero 
and  his  servant  bade  farewell.  Yet  for  awhile,  so  long 
as  he  could  stand,  from  a  low  hillock  Laeg  looked  on  and 
watched  the  fight.  Then  (for  the  Black  Steed  followed 
him,  and  would  not  turn  away)  upon  the  back  of  his  own 
chariot-horse  he  took  his  way  straight  to  Cuchulain' s 
home. 

But  after  his  farewell,  the  hero  turned  him  back  into 
the  fray,  and  on  his  foes  he  took  a  fierce  revenge.  No 
sword  or  armour  could  withstand  his  blows.  On  every 
side  he  seemed  to  be  at  once,  now  here,  now  there,  dealing 
death-bearing  wounds.  Before  him,  and  on  every  side, 
the  men  of  Erin  fled,  while,  like  the  avenging  god  of  war, 
Cuchulain  pressed  behind. 

Then  when  the  cruel  Children  of  the  Blast  beheld  the 
rout,  one  of  the  three  limped  to  where  Luga  stood,  and 
ugly  was  her  face,  and  black  her  scowl.  "  Why  fling 
you  not  the  spear  we  brought  to  you  ?  A  king  will  fall 
by  it  if  it  is  thrown." 

"  I  heard  you  say  a  king  would  fall  before,  when  Ere 


Fame  outlives  Life  267 

and  Curoi  flung  their  venomed  spears.  Yet  Cuchulain 
lives,"  Luga  replied. 

"  And  so  it  was,"  she  said  ;  "  the  King  of  Erin's  steeds, 
the  King  of  Erin's  charioteers  have  fallen  by  those  spears. 
One  King  lives  yet,  and  by  your  spear  the  King  of  Erin's 
heroes  is  to  fall." 

Then  Luga  flung  the  spear.  Straight,  vehement,  and 
true  the  aim  he  took,  and  over  all  the  heads  of  all  the  host 
it  rose  and  fell,  piercing  Cuchulain  to  the  very  earth. 

Then  out  of  sudden  fear  the  host  stood  back,  seeing 
Cuchulain  fall.  No  shout  went  up,  but  silence  deep  and 
awful  seized  the  host.  They  ceased  to  fly  and  turned, 
but  none  of  all  of  them  advanced  to  aid  or  slay  the 
wounded  man. 

In  a  wide  circle  as  they  turned  they  stood  each  leaning 
on  his  spear,  and  in  the  empty  space,  near  where  Cuchu- 
lain fell,  in  silence  Luga  stood  to  watch  the  hero  die. 
Thus  all  alone,  without  a  single  friend,  the  king  of  Erin's 
mighty  heroes  lay,  dying  upon  the  plain.  Slowly 
Cuchulain  rose  in  mortal  pain,  and  stooped  to  drag  the 
weapon  from  the  wound  ;  but  he  could  not,  for  it  broke 
off  at  the  head,  leaving  the  metal  fastened  in  the  flesh. 
And  as  he  tugged,  the  red  blood  trickled  slowly  to  his 
feet  and  made  a  stream  that  ran  away  along  a  furrow 
of  the  plain.  Cuchulain  saw  an  otter  that  crept  up  from 
the  rushes  on  the  margin  of  the  lake.  Stealthily  the 
creature  drew  towards  him,  attracted  by  the  blood,  and 
in  a  timid  way  began  to  drink.  It  vexed  Cuchulain 
when  he  saw  the  cringing  beast  drinking  his  blood  while 
he  was  yet  alive,  and  he  ceased  tugging  at  the  buried 
spear-head,  and  made  shift  to  stoop  and  pick  up  the 
fallen  shaft  and  fling  it  at  the  beast.  At  that  a  raven 
came  fluttering  down  and  hesitatingly  drew  near,  and 


268  Cuchulain 

dipped  its  beak  into  the  hero's  blood ;  but  in  the  slippery 
stream  its  claws  were  caught  and  so  the  bird  upset. 
When  he  saw  that,  Cuchulain  laughed  aloud,  and  well  he 
knew  that  laugh  would  be  his  last. 

For,  even  as  he  laughed,  Death's  mists  and  swoonings 
fell  on  him.  He  closed  his  eyes,  and  when  at  length  he 
opened  them  again,  the  warrior-host  had  moved,  drawn 
nearer  to  the  place  where  he  was  lying  still ;  but  such 
an  awe  was  on  them  that  in  that  mighty  ring  of  warrior- 
hosts,  armed  all  with  clanking  weapons  and  with  arms, 
no  sound  was  heard ;  they  stood  as  silent  as  a  nurse 
might  stand  within  the  dark  sick-room,  to  watch  the 
champion  die. 

Then  came  a  mighty  thirst  upon  the  wounded  man. 
"  Fain  would  I  go,"  he  said  to  them,  "  and  quench  my 
thirst  beside  the  loch." 

"  We  give  thee  leave  to  go,"  they  said,  "  but  only  if 
thou  come  again  to  us." 

"  If  I  come  not  to  you  again  myself,  I  bid  you  come 
for  me,"  the  hero  said. 

So  he  gathered  himself  together  and  went  slowly  to  the 
loch.  And  he  drank  his  drink  and  washed  himself,  and 
came  forth  to  die,  calling  upon  his  foes  to  come  and  meet 
him. 

Now  his  eye  lighted  upon  a  tall  pillar-stone  that  was 
beside  the  loch  in  the  midst  of  the  plain.  And  he  drew 
himself  to  the  stone,  and  leaned  his  back  against  it, 
and  with  the  girdle  that  was  about  his  breast, 
he  bound  himself  to  the  stone,  standing  up  facing  the 
men  of  Erin.  And  in  his  hand  he  grasped  his  naked 
sword  and  held  it  up  aloft,  and  in  his  other  hand  he  took 
his  shield,  and  placed  it  close  beside  him  on  the  ground. 
For  he  said,  "  I  will  not  die  before  the  men  of  Erin  lying 


Cuchulain  comes  at  last  to  his  Death 


268 


Fame  outlives  Life  269 

down  nor  sitting  on  the  ground,  but  I  will  die  before 
them  standing  up.*'  And  the  Grey  of  Macha  found  him 
where  he  stood,  and  came  up,  dragging  the  spear  that 
still  held  in  his  wound  ;  and  it  laid  its  head  upon  Cuchu- 
lain's  breast,  weeping  great  dropping  tears  of  dusky 
blood.  And  all  about  his  shoulders  hovered  carrion 
birds,  yet  still  the  host  dared  not  venture  nigh,  for  the 
hero's  light  shone  from  his  forehead,  and  they  knew  not 
whether  he  were  alive  or  dead. 

Then  went  Luga  near  to  see  if  he  were  yet  alive,  and 
as  he  came  beside  him,  the  great  sword  fell  from  the 
dying  Champion's  hand,  and  struck  the  hand  of  Luga, 
and  smote  it  off,  so  that  the  sword  and  hand  fell  to  the 
ground  together.  Cuchulain  heaved  a  deep  and  troubled 
sigh,  and  with  that  sigh  his  soul  parted  from  his  body. 
Yea,  with  the  greatness  of  that  sigh  the  pillar-stone  was 
split,  as  may  be  seen  to  this  day.  Men  call  it  still  the 
Pillar  of  the  Hero's  dying  Sigh. 


CHAPTER  XXX 
The  Red  Rout 

DAILY  upon  the  ramparts  of  Dun  Dalgan  Emer 
of  the  beauteous  hair  looked  out  and  waited 
for  Cuchulain,  for  nought  of  Laeg's  grim  tale, 
that  he  was  dead  or  dying  on  the  Plain,  would  take  hold 
on  her  mind.  But  still  and  evermore  he  came  not  home. 
Upon  a  certain  day,  far  off  she  saw  a  single  horseman 
coming  towards  the  fort,  upon  a  horse  that  wearily  and 
weakly  moved  along,  dropping  red  blood  at  every  step. 
Weary  the  horseman  seemed,  and  in  his  hand  he  bore  a 
rod  made  out  of  osiers  of  the  stream,  and  on  it  hung  the 
gory  heads  of  lately  slaughtered  men.  Then  trembling 
and  affright  fell  on  the  queen.  Full  well  she  knew  the 
horse  that  dripped  with  blood,  the  Grey  of  Macha, 
Cuchulain's  chariot-steed,  but  on  his  back  another  rider 
sat.  "  'Tis  Conall  the  Victorious,"  she  exclaimed,  "  he 
rides  Cuchulain's  horse.  With  evil  news  he  comes  to 
me  this  day.  The  tale  is  true  that  Laeg  told,  Cuchulain 
in  his  blood  lies  on  Murthemne's  Plain,  dying  or  dead. 
Woe  that  another  rides  Cuchulain's  steed !  Woe  that 
the  Hound  of  Ulster  draws  not  near.  Full  many  a  day 
in  triumphant  pride  by  this  same  path  he  hath  come  home 
to  me  !  Full  many  a  day  along  this  beaten  way  in  gallant 
glee  he  hath  gone  forth  to  war  !  "  Sadly  and  sorrowfully 
drew  Conall  near  and  greeted  Emer.  And  Emer  said, 
"  What  gory  heads  are  those  thou  bearest  on  the  withe  ? 

270 


The  Red  Rout  271 

How  and  in  what  fight  didst  thou  come  by  them  ?  " 
"  These  are  the  heads  of  those  who  slew  thy  hero  and 
my  friend  !  Alas  !  that  I  in  distant  lands  was  wandering 
when  Cuchulain  died.  Too  late  I  came  to  save  him,  if 
perchance  he  still  might  shun  the  hour  of  his  death ; 
but  not  too  late  my  promise  to  redeem  and  to  avenge  his 
fall.  See  here  upon  the  withe  is  Luga's  head,  and  here 
the  head  of  dark  Curoi  mac  Daire,  and  here  is  Erc's,  the 
fair  young  lad  who  stained  his  youth  with  blood,  the 
blood  of  Ulster's  Guardian  and  its  Hound.  These  and 
the  others  I  bear  here  with  me  in  token  of  my  duty  well 
performed,  my  promise  kept.  Where'er  men  speak  the 
praise  of  Ulster's  Hound  and  tell  his  deeds,  there  also 
shall  they  speak  of  the  Red  Rout  of  Conall  Cernach,  in 
vengeance  of  his  death  !  " 

Then  trembling  Emer  said,  "  One  head  I  see  not  here 
upon  the  withe ;  yet  in  thy  bosom  surely  thou  hast  yet 
one  head  for  me.  I  see  fair  hair,  O  Conall,  bring  it  forth  ; 
give  back  to  me  my  lover  and  my  friend." 

Then  Conall  said  :  "  Listen,  O  Emer,  to  the  tale  I  tell. 
When  round  the  men  of  Erin  in  my  wrath  and  battle- 
fury  I  had  passed,  cutting  and  hewing  down  their  chiefs 
and  leaders  and  their  mighty  men,  close  up  to  Tara's 
wall  I  made  my  way,  seeking  for  Ere,  who  fled  before 
my  steps  surrounded  by  his  chosen  counsellors.  Pass- 
ing the  playing-fields  without  the  fort,  I  saw  men  playing 
hurley  with  a  head,  a  human  head  in  place  of  hurley- 
balls,  a  human  head  yet  fresh  and  wet  with  blood.  My 
own  blood  froze  within  my  veins  !  It  was  the  head  of 
Ulster's  Hound  they  struck  and  flung  from  hand  to 
hand  !  And  at  the  shame  of  it  methought  its  cheeks 
blushed  hot  and  rosy  red.  Even  as  I  came  the  head 
was  struck ;  it  bounded  up,  and  nobly  took  the  goal.     A 


272  Cuchulain 

shout  went  up  from  all  those  reckless  men.  *  So,  so, 
the  Hound  of  Ulster  wins  again ;  good  man,  good  man, 
we  hit  him  under  once  and  took  his  head  from  him,  but 
he  would  take  revenge  upon  us  now.' 

" '  Revenge,'  I  cried,  '  revenge  he'll  find  indeed,' 
and  at  that  word  into  their  midst  I  sprang,  dealing  on 
every  hand  death-bringing  blows.  Like  corn  before  the 
mower's  scythe,  or  like  grown  grass  beneath  the  feet  of 
many  hosts,  I  hewed  them  down.  Harsh  cries  went  up, 
for  all  unarmed  they  fell,  helpless  and  with  no  power  to 
withstand,  and  Ere  came  out  upon  the  green,  and  stood 
there  in  dismay.  I  held  Cuchulain' s  head  on  high 
in  my  left  hand.  '  Thy  head  to  match  with  his,'  I  cried, 
and  ere  he  raised  a  sound  his  head  was  rolling  at  my  feet. 
I  picked  it  up  and  hither  came  to  seek  thee,  gentle  queen." 

Then  Emer,  white  as  death,  and  trembing  as  a  rush 
that  bows  before  the  onward-flowing  stream,  put  forth 
her  hands,  and  said,  "  Give  me  Cuchulain's  head." 
But  when  with  reverence  Conall  placed  within  her  hands 
Cuchulain's  head,  a  cry  of  sorrow  and  of  grief  rang  out 
from  Emer's  lips,  and  pierced  the  souls  of  all  who  heard 
it  in  the  fort.  She  bent  to  kiss  the  head,  and  at  that 
moment  her  sad  heart  broke  within  her  breast,  and  o'er 
Dun  Dalgan's  rampart  Emer  fell,  her  fair  hair  mingled 
with  the  hair  of  Cuchulain,  her  mantle  rent  and  torn,  and 
all  her  lovely  face  splashed  o'er  with  blood.  Gently  and 
reverently  they  raised  her  up,  and  bore  her,  with  the  head 
still  clasped  within  her  arms,  to  where  the  body  of 
Cuchulain  lay.  There  on  Murthemne's  plain  they  buried 
them,  two  lovers  and  two  friends  within  one  tomb, 
husband  and  wife.  And  when  the  grave  was  digged  and 
filled  again,  the  Grey  of  Macha  roamed  away  ;  through 
all  the  fields  and  furrows  of  the  plain,  through  all  the 


The  Red  Rout  273 

glens  and  hills  in  Erin's  bounds  he  seemed  to  search  and 
closely  scrutinise,  as  though  to  find  some  being  he  had 
lost.  But  when  he  found  him  not,  back  to  the  lonely 
loch  among  the  reeds,  where  first  Cuchulain  found  and 
mastered  him,  he  came  again  ;  and  with  one  bound 
he  leaped  into  the  very  centre  of  the  loch,  and  so  ap- 
peared no  more.  This  witnessing,  the  Black  Steed 
neighed  in  mournful  wise,  and  went  back  to  the  glen 
in  Donegal,  and  no  man  dared  to  seek  or  follow  him,  nor 
ever  found  they  trace  of  him  again. 

But  to  the  three  times  fifty  queens  who  wept  for  him, 
the  soul  of  Cuchulain,  radiant  and  noble  as  in  life,  ap- 
peared once  more ;  and  on  the  ramparts  of  Emain  by 
night,  old  warriors  tell  how,  when  men  are  asleep,  the 
spirit-chariot  of  a  spirit-chief,  clad  in  his  battle  armour 
as  of  yore,  moves  round  the  walls,  guarding  the  outer 
ramparts  from  the  foe ;  and  all  men  sleep  in  safety,  for 
the  Hound  of  Ulster  wakes. 

And  as,  with  slow  and  stately  pace  the  chariot  moves, 
drawn  by  two  noble  horses,  white  and  black,  a  chant 
goes  up  upon  the  midnight  air,  not  like  the  pagan  chants 
of  other  days,  but  sweet  and  gentle  as  a  summer-song, 
and  with  a  note  of  triumph  in  its  sound,  telling  the 
coming  of  a  hero-chief,  who  shall  be  called  the  Christ, 
and  who  will  bring  great  peace  and  rest  to  men.  And 
when  that  song  is  heard,  rising  with  its  sweet  strain  o'er 
all  the  fort,  the  fires  of  war  and  hate  are  softened  in  the 
chieftains'  hearts,  and  women  smile  upon  their  little 
babes  and  hug  them  to  their  breasts.  And  all,  the  young 
and  old,  set  forward  minds  to  welcome  the  new  time 
when  wars  shall  cease,  and  peace  shall  come  to  men. 


Notes  on  the  Sources 

"  Tain  bo  Cuailnge."  The  two  oldest  versions  of  the 
long  tale  of  the  "  Tain  b<5  Cuailnge,"  or  "  Cattle-Raid 
of  Cooley,"  from  which  the  main  part  of  Chapters  ii.-vi. 
and  ix.-xix.  of  this  book  are  taken,  are  those  found  in 
the  old  vellum  manuscripts  known  as  the  "  Leabhar  na 
h-Uidhre "  (L.U.),  compiled  about  the  year  1100  in 
the  monastery  of  Clonmacnois  on  the  Shannon,  and 
preserved  in  the  Library  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academ}% 
Dublin,  and  that  occurring  in  the  Book  of  Leinster 
(L.L.),  preserved  in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  the  larger 
portion  of  which  appears  to  belong  to  the  twelfth 
century.  A  version  found  in  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan 
corresponds  closely  to  that  in  L.U.,  and  seems  to  con- 
tain an  even  earlier  text.  The  text  of  this  older  version 
is  in  course  of  publication  in  Eriu,  the  journal  of  the 
School  of  Irish  Learning  in  Dublin,  and  a  translation 
has  been  made  of  it  by  Miss  W.  Faraday  (Grimm 
Library  Series,  vol.  xvi.).  The  lengthy  L.L.  version 
has  been  published  with  a  German  translation,  and 
copious  notes  and  glossary,  by  Dr  Ernst  Windisch,  1905. 

Among  the  later  versions  of  parts  of  this  long  tale, 
is  a  copy  found  in  the  British  Museum  (marked 
Add.  18748)  1800  a.d.,  which  coincides  in  the  main 
with  that  of  the  Book  of  Leinster.  A  translation  of 
large  portions  of  this  manuscript  was  contributed  by 
Dr    Standish    H.    O' Grady    to    the    present    author's 

275 


276 


Cuchulain 


"  Cuchullin  Saga  in  Irish  Literature  "  (Grimm  Library, 
vol.  viii.). 

The  story  of  "  The  Education  of  Cuchulain  "  in  Alba 
or  Scotland,  with  the  amazon  Scath,  originally  formed 
part  of  the  tale  of  "  The  Wooing  of  Emer,"  but  separate 
accounts  exist  of  these  adventures.  For  the  details  of 
Chapter  vii.,  I  have  drawn  partly  upon  the  incidents 
contained  in  the  longer  version  of  "  The  Wooing  of 
Emer,"  and  partly  upon  two  late  manuscripts  found  in 
the  British  Museum  (Egerton,  106  and  145).  These 
have  since  been  edited  by  Dr  Whitley  Stokes  in  the 
Revue  Celtique,  vol.  xxix. 

"  The  Wooing  of  Emer."  This  story  is  taken  from 
Dr  Kuno  Meyer's  edition  of  the  tale  found  in  Stowe  MS. 
992,  and  first  published  by  him  in  the  Archaeological 
Review,  vol.  i. 

The  story  of  "  Cuchulain's  Visit  to  Fairy-land,"  usually 
known  as  "  The  Sick-bed  of  Cuchulain  "  (our  Chapters 
xx.,  xxi.),  is  adapted  from  the  accounts  as  given  in 
the  only  two  copies  known  to  exist  of  it,  one  found  in 
L.U.  and  the  other  in  a  fifteenth-century  manuscript  in 
Trinity  College,  Dublin.  It  was  first  published  by  O' Curry 
in  Atlantis,  vols.  i.  and  ii.,  and  later  Dr  Windisch  edited 
the  tale  in  Irische  Texte,  vol.  i.  An  English  translation 
will  be  found  in  Leahy's  "  Heroic  Romances  of  Ireland," 
vol.  i. 

The  story  of  "  Deirdre,"  usually  called  "  The  Tragical 
Fate  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach,"  is  one  of  three  favourite 
titles  that  for  the  last  two  hundred  years  at  least  have 


Notes  on  the  Sources  277 

been  known  as  "  The  Three  Sorrowful  Tales  of  Erin," 
the  other  two  being  "  The  Fate  of  the  Children  of  Lir  " 
and  "  The  Fate  of  the  Children  of  Tuireann."  There 
is,  however,  no  connection  or  similarity  between  these 
tales.  The  story  is  found  in  numerous  versions  dating 
from  the  twelfth  century  down  to  the  present  day,  and 
it  has  undergone  much  modification  in  the  course  of 
repetition.  It  is  still  a  popular  story  in  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland,  and  all  round  Loch  Etive  and  its  neighbour- 
hood are  the  remains  of  forts  and  sites  bearing  the  names 
of  the  unfortunate  lovers. 

No  single  version  contains  the  entire  story,  and  I 
have  therefore  been  obliged  to  combine  the  accounts 
given  in  various  versions  belonging  to  different  ages, 
slightly  altering  the  arrangement  in  order  to  fit  them 
together.  In  the  chapter  called  "  The  Sleep -Wanderer," 
and  in  the  account  of  "  The  Death  of  the  Sons  of  Usnach," 
I  have  drawn  largely  on  a  very  beautiful  and  poetic 
Gaelic  folk-version  taken  down  by  Dr  Alexander 
Carmichael  from  the  lips  of  an  old  man  of  eighty-three 
years  of  age,  John  Macneill  or  "  Iain  Donn "  of 
Barra,  and  first  published  by  him  in  the  Trans,  of  the 
Gaelic  Society  of  Inverness,  vols,  xiii.,  xiv.  It  has  since 
been  republished  under  the  title  of  "  Deirdre." 

Some  suggestions  I  have  also  taken  from  a  modern 
manuscript  found  by  Dr  Douglas  Hyde  in  the  Belfast 
Museum,  part  of  which  was  printed  by  him  in  Zeit.  fur 
Celt.  Phil.,  vol.  ii. 

But  the  main  body  of  the  story  follows  the  mediaeval 
version,  which  has  been  printed  repeatedly,  one  of  the 
best  recent  editions  being  that  of  Dr  Whitley  Stokes  in 
Irische  Texte,  2nd  series,  pt.  2. 

In  the  oldest  version,   that  found  in  the  Book  of 


2J$ 


Cuchulain 


Leinster,  Deirdre  is  made  to  survive  the  sons  of  Usnach, 
and  is  forced  to  come  into  Conor's  house  ;  but  she  will 
neither  eat  nor  smile,  and  finally  she  puts  an  end  to  her 
intolerable  existence  by  springing  from  a  chariot  and 
dashing  her  head  against  a  rock.  This  version  is  much 
ruder  and  more  barbaric  than  any  of  those  belonging  to 
a  later  period. 

"  The  Tragical  Death  of  Conla  (or  Conlaech),  Son  of 
Aiffe."  Apparently  the  oldest  form  of  this  story,  which 
is  the  Irish  parallel  to  the  Persian  story  of  "Sohrab  and 
Rustem,"  is  that  found  in  the  Yellow  Book  of  Lecan, 
recently  edited  by  Dr  Kuno  Meyer  in  Eriu,  vol.  i.  pt.  1 ; 
Mr  J.  G.  O'Keeffe  gives  another  ancient  version  in  the 
same  journal.  The  story  is  usually  told  in  verse,  and  is 
still  alive  in  Gaelic-speaking  parts  of  Ireland  and  in  the 
Highlands  of  Scotland.  Miss  Brooke  has  published  one 
of  these  poetical  forms  in  her  "  Reliques  of  Irish  Poetry," 
1789. 

"  The  Tragical  Death  of  Cuchulain."  The  incidents 
connected  with  the  death  of  Cuchulain,  and  immedi- 
ately preceding  and  following  it,  are  chiefly  taken  from, 
or  suggested  by,  two  good  but  comparatively  recent 
manuscripts  in  the  British  Museum  (Egerton,  132,  and 
Add.  18947)  dating  from  the  early  eighteenth  and  the 
nineteenth  centuries  respectively.  They  contain  the 
cycle  of  events  known  as  "  The  Great  Defeat  on  the 
Plain  of  Murthemne,"  "  The  Death  of  Cuchulain,"  "  The 
Red  Rout  of  Con  all  Cernach,"  "  The  Lay  of  the  Heads," 
and  "  Emer's  Death."  Portions  of  the  material  from 
the  first  of  these  two  manuscripts  were  translated  for 
my  "  Cuchullin  Saga  "  by  Dr  S.  II.  O'Grady,  but  these 


Notes  on  the  Sources  279 

five  stories  as  a  consecutive  whole  have  not  yet  been 
published.  An  older  (L.L.)  version  of  Cuchulain's  death 
was  published  by  Dr  Whitley  Stokes  in  Revue  Celtique, 
vol.  iii. 

Murthemne,  or  Cuchulain's  country,  formed  part  of 
the  present  Co.  Louth,  and  a  great  pillar  stone  is  still 
pointed  out  by  the  people  as  the  place  of  Cuchulain's 
death,  a  split  in  the  side  having  been  caused,  according 
to  living  tradition,  by  the  dying  sigh  of  the  hero. 

The  poem  on  p.  141  is  reprinted  by  kind  permission 
of  Mr  T.  Fisher  Unwin. 


